Spectrum
by MargaritaDaemonelix
Summary: "There are so many more people fighting with us than you could imagine." The second book of the Blink Saga.
1. Prologue

SPECTRUM

The second book of the Blink Saga

By MargaritaDaemonelix

Prologue

At the age of eighteen, you became the youngest assistant of the Head Librarian of the Imperial Sander Archives.

At the age of twenty-seven, you became the youngest Head Librarian of the Imperial Sander Archives.

And now, at the age of thirty-one, you're arguably one of the most powerful women in Sander. You command respect in your every step. The people in the library-no, _your_ library-bow politely to you as you pass by. You're a graceful, unmarried, well-educated woman, and this is _your_ castle.

Someday, after you've retired and handed down your position, you want to be able to crack open a history textbook and see your own face. Maybe someday your successor's successor will tell tales of your achievements. Maybe you'll stay at the library forever, haunting its corridors and whispering advice into the ears of future librarians just to see them squirm.

But for now… You're content where you are.

You're not married, and you don't intend to get married. Many men have tried to court you, but you've always put your job first and them second. You might have dated a boy or two here or there, but your last relationship ended with the police taking your date away to the Lanox prisons. You've come to terms that you might as well devote to celibacy. It would be more convenient, anyways.

You've got an army of interns that shuffle around your library, filing books and papers and working on the databases. You also have a personal assistant, a twenty-eight year old by the name of Karis Berenice. She's diligent and a good student, but she doesn't like to follow instructions. Her red hair and eyes reflect her upbringing outside Sander, and the rumours of her mixed heritage.

You, on the other hand, have the silvery white hair of the high Alterans, a symbol of your heritage. Your maternal grandmother was Lady Rowena Abbadon, and through her you have the blood of the ancient house of Abbadon flowing in you. White hair isn't exactly common in Sander, so it instantly elevates you even higher than the people around you.

Your name is Luciela Rowena Sourcream, the Head Librarian of the Sander Imperial Archives. You are at the top of the world, and nothing can stop you.

* * *

Behind her back, the other girl sneers.

Karis has never liked her "boss", and she never will find the pompous Luciela anything but annoying. She came to the archive to bring some glory back to her family, only to have that brat with a high and mighty name take over before she was even old enough to be an intern.

She doesn't ever dare raise her voice against Luciela, if only because she has no true power in this library hierarchy. She has the title of a god but the power of a mortal against Luciela.

There is one other person she can turn to, however, and that is him. She doesn't love him in the slightest, but he seems to be all over her and her body. When he summons her to his quarters, he runs his hands all over her and doesn't let her go until she's sore all over.

She can win him over in a few words, whispered into his ear like warm sugar. She knows he has no real power against her, the god with the power of a mortal.

But the one he does have power against is Luciela. No matter how powerful she gets, Luciela will never rise above Ran. With Ran in the palm of her hand, Karis knows she has complete power over Luciela, too.

And so she sneers at her, waiting for the day she can pounce.

* * *

It takes all your being to not wipe your hands on your shirt, no matter how dirty it may already be. Dusting out the engines of the computer archives is no small task, but you're the only one with the key to do it. The library is your kingdom, but you must be its caretaker.

Some days, you love your job. Other days, you hate it. Maybe you wish the library could come to life and take care of itself, like some sort of fairy tale creature. As a young girl, you always imagined the library as a living, breathing being, a giant cat even. Days like this make you wish it was. At least cats know how to clean themselves.

Your phone buzzes in your pocket. You hurry to a bathroom to peel off your gloves and wash your hands, kicking aside the door and furiously scrubbing the dust off. Slowly, the buzzing fades to a stop. You mutter some colourful words under your breath as you grab a paper towel from the machine, hastily wiping your hands off before wrestling your phone out of your pocket.

It's Karis. Apparently she's called you eight times already. It must be something urgent. You rush out of the bathroom to her office, where she should be working. She's not.

There is, however, a slip of paper on her desk. _Mr. Ran needed you to file a few things,_ it says in Karis' messy scribble, _but since you aren't here I'm filling in for you. Happy vacation, you old hag._

Sometimes, you wish your assistant would just _chill_.

You sigh, leaving her office and returning to your own. You find the door already unlocked, for whatever reason. Maybe it's just because you're paranoid, but you lock it from the inside before you step in and drop back into your spinning chair, watching a cloud of dust emerge from your clothes.

It's two in the afternoon. You're exhausted from cleaning the computers. You figure you could have a few minutes to just catch your breath.

There's a pounding at the door. "Open up, Miss Sourcream!" Yells someone from outside, voice muffled by the door. You're puzzled as to what could be happening, but you get up and open the door nonetheless.

Standing outside are two of Ran's personal guard. "Good afternoon, gentlemen," you tell them, confused. "How may I help you?"

You don't even manage to finish the sentence. The door clicks shut behind you as the two grab you by the shoulders and shove you against a wall. "Luciela Rowena Sourcream, you are under arrest," one says, in perfect monotone, as his partner pulls a zip tie tightly around your wrists.

"That's _Miss_ Luciela Rowena Sourcream to you," you mutter under your breath as they march you through the library, like you're a war spoil and they're returning home in triumph.

As you exit the library, you see Karis standing in the hallway. She looks terrified, gripping onto a stack of books tightly and hugging them close to her chest.

The last you see of her is the horror on her face melt away into a triumphant grin.

* * *

She exhales as she leaves the note on her desk, ready for her plan to take place. Even if Ran doesn't give in to her argument, it won't hurt that Luciela's reputation will certainly go down, and she'll have gained a little bit more of Ran's favour. No matter what he decides, Luciela will drop dead, whether today or in the coming month.

As soon as she's ready with her preparations, Karis leaves her office, fishing the key to Luciela's out of her pocket. Her boss never found out she made a duplicate of the key behind her back, and with that little letter addressed to everyone's favourite little insurgent, Ran will never trust Luciela again. Carefully, she puts a few of her own words on the card, matching Luciela's whimsical handwriting.

She's putting the pen away and cramming the card in her back pocket when someone knocks at the door. "Miss Karis," says the butler. "Mr. Ran awaits your presence."

She nods and follows him to Ran's mansion, a block away from the library. As per usual, the butler leaves her at the double doors that lead to Ran's personal quarters. She begins to shed her clothing as she closes the first set, leaving them in piles as she walks into Ran's bedroom in her underwear.

He's resting on the bed, as he often does, just lying down with his eyes closed, but Karis knows he's just waiting for her. She sits on the bed next to him, bending across his torso and stroking his chest gently with a single finger. "You can't always pretend to be asleep," she purrs, resting her chin on his stomach. "Sometimes I actually have things I need to tell you."

"Like what?" Says Ran, finally opening his eyes.

"Like some things I found Luciela doing," she says, taking in a deep breath. "I have reason to believe that she is in contact with your sister."

Ran immediately sits up. "What makes you think that?" He asks quietly.

"I found her writing a letter addressed to your sister," she says, getting up. "I brought it here. It's in my pocket."

Karis retrieves it from the doorway. "When I asked her about it, she refused to answer me," she says, handing the card to Ran. God, she hopes he can't see through her lazy imitation of Luciela's handwriting. "She won't talk to me at all. I've called her like seven times in the past three hours alone." She pulls up her phone. "I'll call her again."

As expected, Luciela doesn't answer. Karis took great care to set her boss' phone to silent while she was cleaning the computer stash. "Luciela has secrets that she's not letting go of," she says. "I don't know about you, but I don't trust her."

Ran is silent. "I'll have her taken in," he decides. From those words alone, Karis knows she's won. Luciela's going to be arrested, removed from her position.

In her moment of victory, Ran brings her back down on the bed, legs spread wide open. "But first," he says, sinking into her, "let us proceed with what we began."

As he drowns in ecstasy, Karis starts to plan her next move, to secure her easy ascension to godhood. Finally, she, the god with the power of a mortal, can make herself be heard.

* * *

You're gone more than you want to be, out more than you are in.

After they arrested you, they brought you to what you assume is a medical experimentation facility. With no knowledge of what your crime is supposed to be, you retrace your actions to find a flaw.

There is none.

First they put you under the haze. When you awaken, disoriented and half conscious, days later, you can't feel your hands. Then it's your feet. You've been bound to the operation table by your shackles for so long that they don't exist anymore.

Then it's your sight. It starts to go blurry after they put something in your eyes. Then it's your hearing. Then, many dreamless days later, you wake up with a pile of your own bloody hair stacked at your side. Your hair, the only thing that connected you back to your Alteran heritage. To your beloved grandmother.

The doctors don't even have to give you the medication. You cry yourself to sleep, and don't awaken for a very long time.

* * *

 _Who am I?_

 _A woman? A girl? A wisp?_

That's the first question you ask yourself when you wake up next. You blink a few times to get the sleep out of your eyes, surprised that your sight has gone clear. The laboratory is silent, but you know your hearing is back too. A wave of snowy white hair cascades down your shoulders, but it's damp with sweat.

As you raise a hand to brush a lock out of your face, you realize the shackles holding you have been opened. While you can't recall why they'd be closed to begin with, you leave the operating table, stepping down gently.

The floor is freezing cold. You wish you had some shoes.

"Can you hear me?"

Instantly, you duck down, wrapping your arms around yourself. "Don't hurt me," you whisper, surprised at your own voice. _Why can't I remember?_

"I need you to follow my instructions if you want to live, okay?" Says the voice again. It's a masculine voice, smooth but sharp, reverberating over the intercom. "I need you to look to your right. There should be some clothes and a pair of black slippers. Put them on if you're cold."

You turn around as the voice tells you, finding the clothing. You carefully slip into the blue dressing gown and the shorts before clumsily pulling the shoes on. "Now what?" You ask.

"There should be a switch on the wall to your left. If you flick it, the door will rise and you can leave the facility."

In the dim light, you squint at the wall. "I found it," you say. "Sir, before I go…"

"Make it quick," he snaps.

"What is my name?" You asks, voice wavering. "I can't remember.

The voice is silent for a moment. "I was afraid this would happen. Ah, fine. Your name is Lu," he says. "That is all you need to know. Now go!"

You stand on your toes and push the switch up with both hands. Slowly, a door next to the switch you didn't know existed creaks open. You drop to your knees and crawl under it.

The other side of the door is just more of the facility. "Where do I go?" You ask, scanning your surroundings. It's all just doors and pipes to you. You're lost.

A warm breath washes over you from behind. A woman is chuckling behind you as something pinches into your arm. "I'll take it from here, Lu," she says.

Then it all goes dark. Again.

* * *

 **A/N: do you have any idea how tempted i am to bump the rating of this fic up to m**

 **the kinky side of me says yes but the rational side says no**

 **wow two new fics in two days**

 **i am back yes i am alive mostly**

 **i did say i would upload on mondays and as of today, january 16 2017, it is a monday so here you go**

 **~MargaritaDaemonelix**


	2. Chapter 1

SPECTRUM

By MargaritaDaemonelix

Chapter 1

 **TW: Blood and gore. Proceed with caution.**

 _Ten fifty eight._

You wipe away a bead of sweat from your brow as you glance at your watch. You're running out of time, and you need to work fast.

Quickly, you pick the bloodied arm back up and drag it across the old billboard, painting it the rusty red that you've chosen as tonight's theme colour. You should really invest in a box of latex gloves someday. It saves you the trouble of having to clean off the blood from your hands after each hit.

"Fuck." The word resonates through the silent night sky, bouncing off buildings and seemingly amplifying with every moment. Sander's suburbs aren't quite as noisy at night as the city is, and as your profanity drifts away from you, you're afraid you've invoked the wrath of the night guard.

You drop your bloody tool back down and pick up your silver spray paint. You mentally remind yourself to pick some more up the next time you're in Elder as you hastily scribble out your signature. You're running low on juice.

As soon as you halt the flow of your paint, you grab your bag and roll away from the billboard as the skylights you redirected at your canvas flicker back to life. You might not be as skilled in computer science and manipulation thereof as your friends, but you can reprogram a few lights to turn on at the right time. Your watch beeps.

 _Eleven o'clock._

Revealed along with your painting comes the rest of your creative process. The body of your target lies at the base of the board, the legs and arms strewn every which way after you used them as brushes. You think the politician's head, which you skewered on a wire sticking out of the ground, acts as a lovely cherry on top.

Maybe you got a little messy with the calligraphy, but it doesn't matter. The giant word _guilty_ in rusting blood stands out as a lovely reminder to your brother and anyone else who sees it of what Elrios has done to its people. This particular politician, as you found, took advantage of public tax dollars from Lanox and Velder to fund his own vanities. Perhaps his gruesome end will teach some of the others a lesson.

The thumping of feet brings you back to reality. You drop the bloody can back into its pocket in your bag before grabbing the edge of the building and swinging down. You chose this particular building for three reasons; for one, it has a fire escape you can access easily from the roof.

As you drop onto the platform soundlessly, you hear the security guards arrive on the roof and discover your target. You smirk as you watch their shadows dance on the wall, shuffling away from the body. The second advantage of this location is the number of intense skylights surrounding it. The third is its position-the billboard is easily readable from virtually every part of town, due to its height and its location. Soon security cams will be picking up the words and the carnage, and by the time your brother gets news of it, you'll be long gone, slipping back into the underworld.

The shouts from the roof fade into the night as you descend the staircase, dropping into a back alley. You quickly duck behind an abandoned dumpster as a patrol squad crosses the alley, each member pointing their handgun a different direction as they swiftly move by.

Sighing, you pull the white wig off your head with one hand and remove the elastic with the other. Your natural black hair free falls out of the tight bun you put it up in. You shake it back loosely so it doesn't get in the way. The blood gunked up under your nails begins to dye your wig the same rusty red as the text on the billboard, but you can wash it later. You had the wig custom made so that it would be easy to clean. You wipe the blood from your hands onto a rag you find lying under the dumpster.

Your white jacket is just as stained. Thankfully you had the sense to wear it while you worked, so nothing got on your clean clothes underneath. Most of the blood will roll off the surface of the glossy fabric, but for what doesn't, you'll wash it out by hand. There are still a few watery marks from the last time you didn't wash it out completely, a lesson you've learned through trial and error.

You manage to tug off the jacket while still squatting behind the dumpster. Quickly, you shake it out, spreading little burnt blood drops everywhere. The police will have one hell of a time trying to figure out how some of your target's blood got behind a shitty old dumpster. At least your jacket's looking a bit better. You fold it up neatly into a compact square, tucking all the bloody surfaces in before opening the main compartment of your bag.

Sleeping atop the pile of your belongings is your pet fox, Eun. Her fur and your equally white apparel make for a matching theme that many in Sander, and ultimately all of Elrios, have learned to fear. "Hey, Princess, time to wake up," you tell her, giving her a scratch behind the ears.

Eun mewls and turns over for you to rub her belly. "Up, now," you chuckle. "Don't you want to see my new painting?"

The fox blinks the sleep out of her eyes before rolling back over and jumping out of the bag, landing on the ground beside you delicately. She growls distastefully at the blood splatters, prompting you to roll your eyes. "Yes, it's a bit messy. What else would you like me to clean up, your highness?" You snark. She turns her nose up and walks away, her nine split tails waving around in a fan behind her.

You don't know what ugly thoughts gave someone reason to harm Eun, but you figured someone found her white coat and red facial markings pretty, and tried to sell her as a cryptid. Unfortunately for that person, Eun isn't the type to just stay still and accept pain, something you've learned firsthand over the years. When you found her in an alleyway, she was covered in blood and alarmingly thin.

You can't remember why you decided to take the fox in. It was like second nature, like breathing. Perhaps you took the kindness that your few allies showed you and showered it on the fox. Now, that reflects on the loyalty you share with her.

"Eun, where should we go?" You ask her, carefully packing your jacket into your bag. "We could hop over to Bethma. Or we could visit Altera, see what news we can pick up."

She flicks her tails at you as she puts her front paws on your bag, nudging the outside pocket. You open it for her. She sticks her head in and pulls out your map of Elrios with her teeth, which you help her unfold. "That's us, there," you tell her, pointing at the suburban area in Sander you're currently in.

Eun swipes her paw across the map, leaving little bloody streaks across the already dirty paper. She nudges the map with it. "You want us to go the old village?" You think for a moment. "That's not too far from here. We can make it in an hour or so."

You pack up your remaining belongings, neatly putting your wig in its bag and clipping your hair bow back on before leaving the dumpster behind. When you ducked behind it to avoid the patrol, you were Asura, the con artist, the assassin, the calligraphy graffiti artist. As you leave it behind, you're just another girl from Sander, no longer what your expired ID card says you are.

Your real name is Ara Haan, daughter of the late Erwen and Aila Haan. That was all in the past. You've spent six years as a wanted criminal in your alternate identity, and two years before that on the run from your brother as your past self. People who speak to you nowadays never get to know your name, whether it's because you never told them or you exterminated them before they could find out.

You're invisible. Untraceable. Your identity isn't even in the archives. You are no one, but at the same time, you're everyone.

There's a reason why your brother hasn't caught you in the eight years since your exile.

When you were fifteen, you left Sander for the first time, travelling to Lanox to visit a friend. In those few days you were there, the sheer condition of the rest of Elrios shocked you. You had no idea about what was going on right underneath your nose, while you lived like a princess in your family estate on Fahrman's Peak.

The worst of it was the betrayal. It didn't dawn on you until much later that your parents not only supported the poverty that much of Elrios was in, but likely also indulged in the corruption themselves. How else could they have funded all the lessons you took as a child, the weekly banquet feasts you attended, the unfortunate house staff that helped you in everything?

Sometime around your sixteenth birthday, you teamed up with a group of insurgents, hoping to protest against the policies that corrupted Elrios. You don't recall all the details, but your parents died in the bloodbath of a collision that followed, and in the end, you had no allies and the muzzle of a gun pointed at your forehead, by none other than your brother.

What happened to Aren? What made him so inflexible, so corrupted? As you walk on and Eun nips at your heels, you scoop the fox up and tuck her into your bag. The little village under the municipality of Lanox is the home of your childhood friend, and even if you lose all your other allies, you can always be sure to find a shelter with Steel.

After all, even if everyone else has cast you out, Steel and her family have always embraced you with open arms.

It's nearly midnight when you finally reach Ifritan Village. The village elders that you used to listen to for hours on end with Steel as children told you that Ifritan was a magical beast, a guardian spirit of the village. While you're pretty sure that guardian spirit no longer lives in the area due to the constant noise, its influence still lingers. The air around the village is clear and fresh, and the children born there are always healthy and strong.

Key example being your friend Steel. Neither of her parents are short-in fact, her father is quite possibly the tallest human being you've ever encountered. Steel has been naturally short since you were children, and still is about the height of a ten year old. When you knock on her door and she opens it, you scan the room for a moment before looking down into her amused eyes.

"I feel so betrayed, Ara Haan," she says, pressing her hand against her forehead in mock disappointment as she lets you in. "How could you forget me? I thought we had something!"

"No, my dearest Steel!" You gasp, dramatically dropping to your knees. "You mean the world to me! I could never forget you!"

"We're over, Haan!" Says Steel, pitching her voice an octave up. "OVER!"

"Girls, if you're done breaking up, I could really use some sleep."

The both of you turn around to find Sdeing standing on the bottom stair. "Aw, sorry, Dad," says Steel, untangling herself from your arms. "I'm just excited."

Sdeing smiles. "I know. Great to see you, Ara. You know where the bathroom is. There's some food in the fridge, help yourself."

"Thank you, Mr. Holgate," you tell him, straightening up.

"Good night, girls," he says, heading back up the stairs. "Don't stay up too late."

He ignores the fact that you've still got bloodstains over your belongings. Despite your rather risque occupation, the Holgates have never held it against you, and have always supported you through your actions. Sdeing was actually the one who put together your paint gear, and Steel continues to be your go-to weapon supplier.

"Anything new happen?" Asks Steel as you shed your clothing and peel your shoes off your feet. "Aside from the mess with the head librarian, of course. Everyone already knows about that."

"Mmm," you tell her, mind wandering off to somewhere else as you strip down to your underwear. "I took out Bobosse. One of my brother's execs. Eun, I need my clothes." You pull the fox out of your bag. "I also took a trip to Lanox City recently."

"Oh? How was it?" Asks Steel, stroking Eun's back absentmindedly. "The last time I was there, Father broke a hammer over some asshole's head."

You wince subconsciously. "Well, it wasn't pretty. Saw a few old acquaintances, had to teach a few a lesson. But yeah. Client is now in good hands."

As you take a quick shower in her bathroom, Steel lists off a ton of recent happenings. "There was a protest in Elder," she says, her voice drowned out in the water. It's fairly warm, considering you've taken a shower in a freezing lake before. "A ton of people were arrested. I heard some are still being kept here. Also, there was a huge thing on the Plateau two weeks ago."

She hands you a clean towel as you step out of the shower. "Altera hasn't confirmed this or denied it yet, but the rumour going around is that Lady Nasod and her bodyguard broke out of the Core and disappeared. I've only heard theories, but the general public seems to think that they're in league with the rebels in Feita."

You grimace. You've only heard stories of Eve from your contacts, but she seems to be a lovely person. "If they really are in contact with the Party, we might just have some powerful players on our side," you mutter. "Then again, half the nation's going to be up searching for them. Evangeline Nasod and her bodyguard are a double-edged sword right now."

"Also, there were a few arrests in Altera after news of the breakout broke out," reports Steel as she towels off your hair. The edge of her bed isn't the most comfortable place to sit, but at least she can reach your hair. "Including one of Adam Nasod's right-hand men. There's just general chaos, honestly. Dad says there hasn't been peace in Elrios since before I was born."

"I can honestly see what he means." The fresh clothes you're wearing smell like dish soap, but at least they're clean. "Thank you, Steel."

"You aren't staying?" Her voice is laced with concern and longing. "It's nearly two, Ara. You should really stay the night."

"As much as I want to, I have assignments," you murmur as she wraps her arms around you, face pressed against yours. "Steel, I have to get to Altera. I'll come back and visit as soon as I'm done, I swear."

You want to stay with her so badly, to just be able to live with her like you did in your childhood again, but there are so many things you need to get done. Still, it's wonderful to just be able to bask in her warmth for a little while. "Come back to me alive and in one piece, please," she whispers, giving you a kiss on the cheek. "Now go. I'll tell Dad in the morning."

You try to turn to face her, but she gently kisses your forehead and pushes you away. "Good night," she says, smiling. You know she's trying hard not to cry.

"Good night," you tell her, grabbing your bag and scooping Eun up into it. Even with your stack of things to carry, you manage to tuck her in and turn off the light. "See you soon."

You close the door quietly and make your way downstairs. As much as you hate to admit it, Steel's news worry you. You lock the front door from the inside before closing it quietly. The lock clicks as it settles into place, but hopefully it didn't wake up Steel or Sdeing. You really don't want to worry them any more than you already have. The cozy little house that you can't admit is home to you is silent once more, the lights dark as you leave it behind.

There's a bar around these parts that you frequent, admittedly. You mostly go there to piggyback off their free wifi and contact your allies. You have a good idea as to where it's safe to use the wifi, and where it's not. Six years of experience has given you at least that much.

The Old Forest is less of a bar than it is a gathering place. You often witness fights between rivalling groups in and out of the room, and often between employees. There's a gang that operates in and out of the bar, known as the Boars. The boss, a woman in her late forties named Kenta, seems fierce, but has a kind heart and lets people spend the night in her bar when they can't go anywhere by themselves.

When you enter the bar and find a random seat near the back of the room, a random waitress skips over much too energetically. "Hi there, cutie," she cooes. "How are you?"

She must be new here, because you've never met her in the six years you've frequented this bar. "I'm great, thanks, sweet," you tell her, smiling brightly. "And you?"

"My day just got so much better," she chirps, leaning much too close as she takes out a notepad. "Can I get your order, miss?"

You think for a moment. Kenta certainly has some lovely house cocktails that you haven't had in a while, but tonight you're in the mood for something a little stronger. "I'll take a whiskey, please, the strongest you've got," you tell her.

She excitedly scribbles that down on her notepad. "I'll back in a moment, sugarplum," she says, flouncing off again. You can hear her enthusiastic conversations with the others across the room, as Eun pokes her nose out of your bag. Kenta doesn't really have anything against your fox, so you let her come out to sit on the table while you comb through her tail.

"She called me sweet!" Says the waitress girl excitedly. "Ahhhh, she's so pretty!"

One of the more experienced waitresses scoffs. "Look, Millie, she's way out of your league, and she's half married to Steel Holgate, half married to a priss from the Triumvirate."

"Can't I at least romance her a bit?" You can literally _hear_ her pout.

Kenta laughs dryly as she slides your glass of whiskey down the counter to them. "If you're willing to romance the infamous Asura, then go ahead," she says. "Though with her recent works in Lanox City, I don't think she's looking for a romantic relationship right now."

Kenta knows who you are, both your past and your present. You belted that out to her one drunken night after having a huge fight with Steel. Thank El she never speaks of your past, though.

As the new girl brings you your drink with a shy smile and leaves with thirty dollars plus fifteen in tips, you turn on your cell phone for the first time in three days. Thankfully, it still has about forty percent battery, which is thirty-nine percent more than what you need. Your phone is an incredibly old model, but it connects to the wifi just fine.

You open a browser page and access your go-to news outlet. After all, you caught up with Steel for barely an hour, as much as you would have liked to stay a little longer.

The other patrons come and go while you catch up on the latest news, straight from an insider in Altera. Aside from the waitress, there's a few boys who offer to buy you a drink, then get into a fight while you down the last of your whiskey and ask for another. A young couple hesitantly ask you if you're really the Asura. You can't help but laugh and give them your autograph.

As the town clock tower strikes three o'clock, you remember why you came to the bar in the first place. You connect your mobile phone application to the wifi, plugging in a number you know better than your own. The person you're calling has an earpiece embedded in his ear, so if he doesn't pick up you're going to be very, very mad at him.

It takes a while, but he finally picks up. "What do you want now, Ara," he grumbles.

"A little birdie told me you've gotten yourself arrested by the Alterans," you snicker. "Care to divulge?"

Add is quiet for a moment. You can hear him getting progressively madder and madder with every word, but since he's doubtlessly shackled and y'know, kinda _in Altera_ , there's nothing he can do about it. "Alright, so I opened Adam's fucking bubble for the little princess," he says mockingly, "but then she unknowingly opened the Core while she reset the password. Adam's guards found me while I was stuck between the two."

"And now you're in interrogation for allowing the escape of Lady Evangeline Nasod," you conclude. "Well, the original plan was for me to go intercept them wherever they end up. Do you want me to do that, or to bust you out?"

"Don't bother going after them," he snorts. "I heard they dropped off the edge into Elder. Where are you right now? Probably at Steel's place, aren't you."

His voice drops. "They've got Alterasia, Ara. The guy who invented it is developing a new non-lethal formula. Probably to get people to talk. They tested some of it on the guy in the cell next to mine and he spewed out an entire autobiography along with his entire lunch."

You know he's scared. You also know it's important that you find and escort Eve and her bodyguard to Feita. If Add's not bluffing about the new Alterasia formula, the inner workings of the entire rebel force could be exposed in just a few minutes, by the man who designed them all.

You also really wish he wasn't trying to guilt trip you. For as long as you have known Add, he has been a manipulative speaker, and the experiences you share with the deadly toxin still give you nightmares. As much as the toxin is a threat, there's still your escort mission.

You really don't want to know what will happen if the Alterans get a hold on the rebellion's plans, though. Maybe it wasn't the smartest move to put the mastermind of all the rogue forces right in the middle of enemy territory for five years.

You sigh. "How long do you figure you can hold out?"

"Maybe two days. No more than that. The base is nearly emptied around seven, all the guards play poker in the back room." He pauses for a moment. "Godspeed, Ara."

The connection shuts off quickly. You figure there's a night guard passing through. Add does get jittery with things like that.

There's too much to be done. The death of the head librarian put a major wrench in your plans, since instead of heading to Elder to supervise the protests, you had to go ship an unconscious person to Lanox. Then Commander Nasod decided to bomb Feita, which began the revolution way ahead of schedule, and then Eve and her bodyguard upped and left, causing Add to get caught too. There's just too much to be done.

You ask for a napkin and a pen, which you use to jot down some quick notes. One by one, you put down the things you need to get done in order of priority.

 _1\. Bust Add out of prison._

 _2\. Catch up with Eve and her bodyguard and escort them to Feita._

 _3\. Go to Lanox to check on condition of client._

The major flaw in this plan is the location of these three places. To get to Add, you'd have to go to Altera. Then the two of you would presumably head to find Eve and her bodyguard(you recall Add having said his name was Prince?) together, likely somewhere in Elder. Then you'd have to cross the plateau again, back to Fluone. You'd need a week to get it all done, and with the rebellion and whatnot happening, you don't exactly have the time for that.

You decide to leave another message for a friend. Your web of unaffiliated rebels is huge, but you can name the few major players off the top of your head. There's a boy like you, who doesn't actually have an ID and trained as an escape artist for many years. You're tempted to ask him to escort Eve and her bodyguard, but you know he never picks up the phone or checks his messages. You're also tempted to ask him to check on your client, but he has strife with Lanox and refuses to go near it.

Instead, you message one of your friends in Feita. Maybe she can send someone to go intercept them.

AS: hello, darling, are you online?

BH: ara plz refrain from referring to me as darling

BH: but yes i am online

BH: what do you need now

AS: mmm

AS: well as we all know Altera is in a state of chaos right now

BH: i don't like where this is going

AS: and I simply have too many things to do

AS: could you perhaps send someone to escort Lady Evangeline Nasod and her bodyguard to Feita?

There's no sign of reply for a while. Then, the little _[BH is typing]_ bubble pops up.

BH: ara that was supposed to be your job

AS: look Elesis

AS: Add got himself captured by the Alteran police.

AS: I have to go bust him out.

BH: ara we just got fucking bombed like less than a week ago

BH: we're still rebuilding

AS: can you spare one person

AS: just one person

AS: Elesis if I can't get Add out of interrogation the entire rebellion falls to pieces

Again she's silent. After a few minutes, she finally responds.

BH: both you and him can go die in a fire tbfh

BH: but yeah sure i'll find someone to go intercept them

She immediately logs off afterwards. You're going to have to properly thank her when you get to Feita.

It's three thirty in the morning, too early to go anywhere but too late for you to catch up on sleep properly. You smile as the infatuated waitress passes by you again, her notepad and pen ready to go.

"Ah yes, I'll take another whiskey, please, the strongest you've got."

* * *

 **A/N: gotta make references to my other fics whenever i can**

 **aside from that i'm kinda in a state of shock bc one of my favourite kpop groups disbanded and i'm not really ready to face it yet plus voltron s2 dropped on friday and i spent my weekend screaming.**

 **fun fact: it's actually really painful having nails as sharp as Ara's, I keep my pinky nail sharp to ward off my friends and it actually hurts to write bc it digs into my hand. to make up for it i wrap cloth around my hand like Ara's gloves.**

 **the little details make all the difference, kids**

 **~MargaritaDaemonelix**


	3. Chapter 2

SPECTRUM

By MargaritaDaemonelix

Chapter 2

 **TW: Blood and violence. Proceed with caution.**

You're returning home from grocery shopping when you find the girl in the alleyway.

The grocer's daughter made a carrot cake, and her father wanted you to try some. You really didn't want to accept the little paper carton, but the grocer insisted, and so it rides at the top of your bag, threatening to topple off at any second.

You've got two bags of groceries, a carton of carrot cake, a pocket full of knives, and an old revolver pressed firmly against your leg. Maybe your holster is a little old, and more fitting for when you were younger. It's the only one you have that actually fits the revolver properly, considering the age of the gun.

As you make your way down the side street that leads to your bitter little apartment, a flicker of blue in the dark alleyway catches your attention.

Instead of heading home like you were about to, you turn into the old street. You recall the Demons and the Dryads getting into a fight once back in this alley, resulting in the former becoming the dominant gang in this part of Lanox City and the latter being pushed out, as far as Ifritan Village. After the gang war ended, it became a dump for many citizens. Occasionally you'll find people sleeping in this alley in the trash, if you look hard enough to see them blended in.

The girl in the blue dressing gown lies unconscious in the middle of the alleyway, curled up in the fetal position. The stark difference in the shadow and moonlight covers her white hair like a quilt.

She can't be more than ten years old. The girl is tiny.

You drop your bags at the wall and immediately kneel down next to her, checking her vitals and making sure she's not hurt. While her knees seem to be a little scuffed, she's not bleeding anywhere. When you turn her over, you can see a tiny row of stitches across her forehead, forming a tiny four-pointed star.

You glance around the alleyway. There doesn't seem to be anyone who could be this girl's parent anywhere. The alley is lifeless tonight, for once.

As you shift your arms around her to let her rest on the ground, her brilliant blue eyes open lazily for a moment before she drops back into the void of sleep.

 _Terre?_

When the girl goes limp in your arms, you force yourself to swallow down the painful memories of your sister. Right then and there, you're tempted to just leave the little girl in the alley, so you can move on away from Terre.

You can't bear to see her alone, though. Maybe it's Terre's voice that calls out to you, but you aren't going to leave this girl to the harsh cold of Lanox.

Carefully, you scoop her up into your arms, grabbing your two grocery bags and sliding them down to your elbows. The carton of carrot cake has long since gone missing, possibly rolling into the trash pile while you were looking after the little girl. You inhale, exhale, and stand up. While the pressure on your elbows is annoying, you can live with it.

You've got two bags of groceries, no more carrot cake, a pocket full of knives, an old revolver pressed to your leg, and a tiny girl sleeping peacefully in your arms.

* * *

It takes you all of two minutes when you get home to determine that she has a low fever, probably from the cold of the alleyway at night. After you drop her on your bed and hastily cover her up with your comforter, you dash to your closet and begin to mindlessly dig through your belongings. You must still have some of Terre's old clothes in there somewhere, right?

You manage to dig up a set of pajamas and a blue dress among the various other clothes that once belonged to your younger sister. You were able to recover them from your extended family after the incident that took the lives of your parents and your sister. Undressing her is out of the question; instead, you slip the pajama top over the little girl's head and pull the bottoms onto her, before gingerly pulling her arms out of her hospital gown and snipping the rest of the fabric off with a pair of scissors.

As you tuck her into the bed, she lets out a little sigh and turns over, burrowing deeper into the blankets. You gently push a lock of her silvery white hair out of her face, forcing yourself to ignore the little brown specks that pepper her hair like bloodstains. Her temperature is fairly stable, but you want to let her heal quickly.

You leave the bedroom door open, just in case she comes out and you're not there to speak to her. You pull tomato paste and onions and carrots and celery and peas from your purchases, grabbing a chunk of butter and tossing it in the pot. You hum an old tune you once learned to play on the piano as you chop the vegetables and lightly saute them, hoping the sizzling won't wake up the sleeping girl.

In fifteen minutes, your simple vegetable soup is bubbling on the stove, ready to be served. As you watch it simmer, the lid bobbing up once in a while, you hear soft coughing from the bedroom.

Shit. You should have made some hot water. You hope the girl is okay with black tea.

You grab a clean mug from the cabinet above the stove and pour some tea in from the thermos on the counter. It's still piping hot, even though you steeped it nearly two hours ago. You bring it to the bedroom, ignoring the water that sloshes out and leaves little red flowers on your hand.

The girl is awake and is sitting on your bed, her knees and the blanket drawn to her chest. When you knock on the door and walk in with the tea, she squeaks and raises the blanket over her head. "Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you," you tell her gently, holding out the tea to her. "Here, have some tea. You're running a fever. This will make you feel better."

She lowers the blanket, blinking at you with her dewy blue eyes. She takes the mug from you and gingerly takes a sip. "Thank you." Her voice is so hoarse that you can barely tell what she's saying.

"What's your name?" You ask. It would be nice if you stopped referring to her mentally as Terre.

The girl blinks again. "I think my name is Lu."

You pause. "What do you mean, you think?"

She drinks some more of the tea as you sit on the edge of the bed next to her. "I can't remember anything." Her voice seems to be recovering, though she still speaks meekly. "The person who helped me out of the medical facility told me my name is Lu…."

"Hold on two seconds." You stand up. "I'll get you some soup. Are you allergic to anything?"

She squints at her mug. "I don't know," she says.

You sigh as you walk into the kitchen, grabbing a dish towel and cleaning up the soup that has splattered out. "Hopefully you aren't," you mutter as you take a bowl and a spoon out of the cabinet.

When you bring the soup back to Lu, she's already finished the tea, and has set the mug on your dresser. "How about you tell me everything you can remember," you suggest as she samples the soup delicately.

"I woke up in the medical facility." She pauses to swallow a chunk of vegetable. "Someone told me to put on the clothes next to my table. I flipped a switch on the wall and the door opened. Then a lady came and…" She frowns. "Then I woke up here."

The two of you sit in silence as Lu eats the soup. "Well, since neither of us know who the hell you are," you decide, "you can stay with me until we find your parents."

She smiles. "Thank you. What's your name, mister?"

You chuckle as you wipe the soup off her cheeks. "My name is Ciel Lucas. It's a pleasure to meet you."

* * *

In the week that you've been living with Lu, you've come up with a few theories about her past. Lanox is home to many types of people, most of whom can't afford children. Maybe Lu's parents couldn't keep her. Then again, she's already old enough to be in school, and most families whose children are of that age don't give up their kids. Maybe her parents were taken by the Alteran government for crimes, possibly ones they didn't commit.

Her white hair is also a pressing issue. Was she born a high Alteran? You wonder if she was born in the Triumvirate, but ended up in Lanox for… Whatever reason.

Lu's memory doesn't seem to be improving much. The clearest memory she can recall is a woman named Rowena Abbadon. You do a quick search of this name on your old computer, which takes nearly twenty minutes just to start up.

"Rowena Abbadon," you mutter, scrolling down the page. You have to sit on the floor as Lu sits in the chair, but your natural height makes it easy to navigate. "She seems to be the grand matriarch of the house of Abbadon, a high Alteran clan. Or rather, she was. Rowena Abbadon passed on three years ago."

"Oh." You wince at the disappointment in Lu's voice.

"Say, Lu," you tell her, opening another tab to search up the times for your local medical office. "Do you want to get a blood test done? They can probably do a DNA trace test at the doctor's office, see who your parents are." The office is open to nine tonight, meaning you've got nearly three hours to get there and back.

Lu is quiet for a moment. "Alright," she says.

She's still wearing the pajamas you dug out of your closet. Over the past few days, you've also recovered a few of Terre's other clothes, including a cute blue hoodie you'd only ever seen her wear once. You also took the opportunity to visit one of your friends who works in a clothing shop underneath the old warehouse. Lu now has plenty of pretty clothes and clean underthings to wear.

Lu chooses not to wear Terre's hoodie today, but a blue dress from your new purchases. After you iron it and she puts it on behind the closet door, you help her into the denim jacket you bought from your friend's shop.

As she rolls a pair of stockings up her legs, you notice her hands are shaking. "Are you cold, Lu?" You ask. "I think we have some heavier clothes if you want them."

"I'm not cold." She lets go of the stocking. "It just doesn't feel right. I feel… Fragile. Too small."

"Well, you are still recovering, possibly from head trauma," you remind her. "Bundle up. It's still a little chilly at night around here."

When you finally manage to leave the house, Lu stands in confusion as you pull out your ring of keys and lock each of your seven locks individually. "Don't you have a retina scanner?" She asks.

"Retina scanner?" You blink. "Lu, we don't live in the Triumvirate. There isn't any of that fancy stuff down here. Lanox is pretty boring for the most part. Although I do have a few friends who have card locks…"

"No, it's alright." She looks down at her feet. "I… Never mind."

You hold her hand tightly as the two of you head out of the building. There's been a series of child kidnappings in Lanox lately, and while Lu isn't biologically related to you, you still feel the need to protect her.

Now that you think about it, what if she was one of the kidnapped children? Any trauma from the event could have triggered her amnesia. Still, you think it's better to be safe than sorry. You hold onto Lu's hand a little tighter as the two of you wander through a busier street.

"Evening, Lucas!" Pesop looks jovial as always. "Who's the kid? Did your past catch up to you?"

You glare at him as you tug on Lu's hand for her to stop. "Please don't say that. This is Lu. She's my… Niece," you tell him. "She's a little sick. We're going to the doctor's office to pick up some medication for her."

"Ah." Pesop squats down to come eye to eye with Lu. "Once you get better, you can come play with my daughter, little one," he says.

Lu nods shyly, her knuckles pressed against her lips. "She's quite shy, isn't she," remarks Pesop. "Well, I've got to get going. See you next time!"

You wave at Pesop and tug on Lu's hand again. "Time to go," you tell her gently.

She looks up at you, her eyes alive with fear. "Are all your friends so… Uncivilized?" She whispers.

You have to hold back a laugh. "Not all of them," you assure her. "Pesop is just very brash. And also often drunk, unfortunately. Meena has been trying to get him to stop drinking, but Pesop's not one to change much. Don't worry, the doctor's office is just up ahead."

You hold open the door while Lu walks under your arm, still meekly standing with her hands clasped over her chest. "Hello, sir," says the receptionist. "How may I help you?"

"I'd like to get a blood test done for Lu, here, please," you tell him.

"Certainly, sir. Do you have her ID card?"

You wince. "That's the thing," you tell him, dropping your voice down so low it's barely audible. "She doesn't have an ID card. I found her in the alleyway between Eighteenth and Upsilon about five days ago. She says she woke up in a medical facility and was led out by some people before I found her. Where the fuck do I find an ID for her?"

The receptionist is silent for a moment. "I'll take a manual blood test for her," he says, getting up. "Ed, watch my station."

The two of you follow him to a storage room. "Are you okay with this?" He asks Lu, who is holding her arm. "If you're scared of the needle, I can make your arm go numb so you don't have to feel it."

"Can I look away?" She asks quietly.

The receptionist nods. "Of course."

He draws the blood out fairly quickly. "And a nice bandage for you," he hums, pressing a blue bandage with a white four-pointed star on the puncture point. "There, that didn't hurt, did it?"

Lu smiles as he takes off her tourniquet. "Thank you."

As the receptionist works, he explains his actions. "I'm adding the reactant to the sample of your blood," he says, "so we can find out what type of blood you have. I've tested for both the A and B antigens, which you don't have, meaning you have O-type blood."

The final tester liquid drips into the little plate of blood, producing no change. "And you have RH negative blood!" He says, smiling warmly as he cleans up the station. "Congrats on the O-negative!"

"That means you have the universal donor blood type," you explain to Lu. "You can give your blood to anyone who needs it, and because you don't have the antigens, they won't have a reaction."

"Oh…" Lu smiles. "That's good. I think I'd like to donate blood someday."

The receptionist returns with a basket of candy. "Pick one," he says. "It'll help you with the dizziness."

Lu sifts through the candies with two fingers until she finds a piece of orange candy. "Thank you," she says softly.

The receptionist smiles. "No problem. Your DNA test may take a few days due to processing and… Well, the rarity of having to perform a DNA test these days…" He shakes your hand. "Best of luck, Mr. Lucas. And to you too, Lu."

As you leave with Lu, she opens the orange candy, dumping the excess sugar into her mouth before nibbling on the edge of the candy. "Where are we going now, Ciel?" She asks, holding your hand tightly.

You smile at her as she rips a chunk of the candy off with her teeth. "Well, since we're out of vegetables, we could go grocery shopping, unless you want to eat out-"

Lu screams your name, then there's silence.

Then you're falling through the sky as the world crashes down on your chest.

* * *

She smirks at you, pistol still smoking. "Now, Luciela," she cooes, "We all thought you were dead. You're supposed to be dead. How are you still alive?"

"Who are you?" You cry out, kneeling by Ciel's side. The bleeding is slow but it keeps coming, you need to stop the bleeding, but you _can't_ , and Ciel is disappearing quickly. The orange candy lies on the pavement beside him, forgotten. "Why did you hurt Ciel?"

The woman gasps in mock surprise. "Oh, you mean to tell me that you've forgotten who I am? Luciela, you can't be serious. You were once my senior, my _boss_ , and now you've been reduced to this petty child?" Her laughter is an ugly shriek. "Oh please, Luciela."

Ciel turns his head to face you. "Lu," he murmurs, "why are you still here? Run while you still can…"

"I'm not going to leave you," you tell him. _There's so much blood, why is there so much blood, why won't the bleeding just stop, please stop!_

"You want to know who I am?" Laughs the woman. "Does the name Karis Berenice strike a familiar chord? How about the Sander Imperial Archives?"

"I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO _I AM_!" You scream, pressing your hands over Ciel's wound. Your hands are covered in his blood, you don't know what's going on, everything's a blur, _someone send help_.

 _Who is this woman? Karis Berenice?_

 _Ah yes. She's… My assistant. At the library._

 _Who am I?_

 _I am Luciela Rowena Sourcream, lady of the house of Abbadon._

The memories come back to you, crashing in like a wave. Your childhood. Your beloved grandmother. Becoming an intern at the library. Spending years working under Vapour, until she retired. Your glory days as the Head Librarian. _Your assistant, Karis_.

Everything is back to you. You're back.

And now, Karis has crossed the line one too many times.

She's still laughing like a maniac. You yank the piece of orange candy off the ground and throw it at her face.

Maybe your aim is getting better since you're younger now, but it hits her in the nose and sticks. She immediately shrieks and drops the pistol, swatting at the blood-covered candy and trying to get it off her nose. You sweep your feet out under hers, tripping her to the ground, as you pick up the pistol.

Karis squirms as you firmly plant one foot on her chest and aim the pistol at her forehead. "Call your goonies off," you snarl. "If they shoot, I shoot, and who's already dead? Not you, that's for sure."

She looks up at you with pleading eyes. "Luciela, I'll put in a good word with Ran for you," she says. "You can get reinstalled as the Head Librarian."

"You know what?" You shake your head disapprovingly. "Maybe you can fuck off to Sander for a while. I'd like to enjoy the childhood I missed, for once."

You take your foot off her chest. "Scram before I decide one bullet tonight isn't enough."

There's now a small crowd around you. Karis scrambles to her feet and runs off into the throng of people. "This isn't the end, Luciela!" She shrieks before disappearing.

You immediately drop to Ciel's side again. "Oh my god, Ciel," you gasp. He doesn't seem to be bleeding anymore, but he's definitely dozing off, probably going into shock. You slap him in the face. "Ciel, talk to me!"

He opens his eyes lazily, his smile wracked with pain. "... A young lady shouldn't be swearing," he says, his voice quiet. "Don't mind me. I've survived much worse."

When his voice trails off and his eyes close, you immediately drop down to listen for his breathing. It's faint, but it's there. You try to tip his head up, opening his jaw and moving his tongue aside. _Thirty compressions, then two rescue breaths._ You press all your weight into the compressions and try to mimic a natural heartbeat, despite your own heart beating much too fast. As soon as you count thirty, you drop your hands and tilt his head back, giving him the two breaths before turning around to the people around you. "Well?" You snap. "Help me get him to the medical centre!"

Pesop rushes out of the crowd, pushing aside others. "Goddammit, Lucas, what kind of a mess have you gotten yourself into this time?" He mutters. "Rox. Eris. Mer. Give me a hand, would you?"

In a moment, two women and a man have come to help Pesop. The four of them lift Ciel off the ground and onto a makeshift stretcher, a carpet that someone brought, and towards the medical centre. You jog ahead of them, pushing open the doors and slamming your hands on the counter.

The receptionist looks alarmed. "Welcome back, Lu," he stammers. "Is something the matter?"

"That's Miss Lu to you," you tell him. "Long story, no time, but Ciel Lucas has a bullet in his chest. I need a doctor, right now, and…"

"L-Miss Lu, what blood type does he have?" Asks the receptionist, typing at light speed into his laptop as the four adults carrying Ciel bring him into the foyer and doctors begin to swarm him. "I can probably search what type he has right now, but it may take a while-"

"Don't bother." You roll up your sleeve, revealing the blue bandage from earlier. Funny that now that you remember, the star reminds you of your uniform badge back in Sander. "You said I have O-negative, right? Take some of mine. I can live without it."

He looks incredibly confused. "Alright, Miss Lu." He looks around the now cleared foyer. "Do you mind explaining to me what's going on?"

You smile. "Well," you tell him, "your orange candy saved my life, and probably Ciel's as well."

* * *

When there's no longer any pain on your chest, you finally dare to open your eyes.

You're staring up at the ceiling of a room, painted pale blue all over. There's a little sunlight filtering in through the closed blinds, as well as the warm glow of a table lamp by your side.

Sitting at your bedside, calmly reading a book, is Lu. She seems so serene, and seems to have changed into less bloody clothes-a white t-shirt and shorts. You feel so bad that her nice new clothes got so stained with blood- _your_ blood-but she seems to be comfortable, with a giant blanket wrapped around her shoulders.

"Lu," you say. Your voice comes out as a croak.

She seems to perk up. "Oh my gosh, Ciel," she frets, dropping her book as she presses a button on the side of your bed. Slowly, the creaking servos push you up into a sitting position. "Oh, thank god the bullet was lodged in your sternum. Do you want some water?"

"Yes please." She grabs a cup and the pitcher from a nearby table, pouring you a cup. "Thank you, Lu."

She winces. "Yeah, about that… How old are you?"

"Me?" You think for a moment. "Twenty six."

"Ah." Her wry smile tells you just how amused she is. "Well, you might have to change that to "Miss Lu". I'm actually thirty one, going on thirty two."

Lu laughs when she sees your surprised face. "Yes. I should probably make a proper introduction of myself," she says. "I am Luciela Rowena Sourcream, former Head Librarian at the Sander Imperial Archives, lady of the House of Abbadon. Rowena Abbadon was my grandmother."

"You remembered?" You ask, downing the last of your water. "Wait, if you're thirty one, how are you in the body of a ten year old?"

"Biologically, I'm actually only about nine years old right now," she says. "I don't know what the scientists did, but they were able to transfer my conscious mind, as well as all my memories, into this body, which we have reason to believe belonged to the daughter of a sex worker from Bethma."

She looks down at her hands, which have been fitted with large gloves bracing down on her knuckles. "My hands were shaking because I was beginning to recover my memories of being older. They gave me these gauntlets to help me adapt," she explains.

"How about you explain from the beginning," you suggest as you pour yourself another cup of water. "Like how you ended up in the body of a ten year old."

Lu bites her lip. "Remember the woman who shot you?" She asks.

"Yeah. Red hair. Wore a purple business suit. Why?"

"That's Karis Berenice. She was my assistant. Library tradition dictates she becomes the next Head Librarian when I retire or pass on."

"Oh." You can't imagine why anyone would want to kill Lu, though, as a kid or as an adult. "But if she's your assistant, how'd she get you…"

"Arrested?" Lu shakes her head in disappointment. "She pulled a few, ah, _favours_ , with the Dark Earl. Ran Haan. At least, that's what I think she did. They've been doing the do a lot lately, as much as Karis refuses to admit it."

Hearing a tiny girl like Lu using the term "doing the do" makes you want to pinch yourself to make sure you're not dreaming, but the cold water in your hands confirms that you're fully awake. "Ran doesn't know I'm alive right now," says Lu. "Karis will probably tell him once she gets to see him again. He'll probably be very mad that she disobeyed his orders. She might not even get to be the next Head Librarian, because I'm pretty sure I locked the door from the inside before I got arrested.

"As for my ID…" She pulls a card out of her pocket. "Since the name "Luciela Rowena Sourcream" is listed as deceased, we had to pull up something different. I hope you don't mind."

She passes the card to you. You only have to read it once over before smiling. You reach your hand out and shake hers.

"Well then, Lucia Lucas, it's a pleasure to meet you."

* * *

 **A/N: As I upload this I am sitting in a library eating tuna bread while my friends try to explain Homestuck to a non-homestuck**

 **I'd like y'all to know that I actually did extensive research on CPR when someone is bleeding for this chapter, follow your ABCs**

 **i'm also pretty sure retrograde amnesia can be caused by trauma but can't be healed through trauma**

 **i'd like to thank all of you for loving Ara. i feel like every Ara-centric thing i've ever written has her as an assassin lol**

 **also, The Guest, it was 2NE1! Come Back Home was my anthem of hope for a really long time... I hope they're happy wherever they choose to go on towards! and yes, a lot of the older writers have probably grown out of the fandom... I'm still not over The Breathless World tbh, but I'm still young myself so i can probably finish Blink before i go off to university!**

 **on a brighter note i survived my history exam, only english and science to go**

 **~MargaritaDaemonelix**


	4. Chapter 3

SPECTRUM

By MargaritaDaemonelix

Chapter 3

It's a double-edged sword, being able to sleep in a little more.

Back home in Ruben, you woke up every morning at the crack of dawn to get to work, and then spent the day feeling your every limb crack under the pressure of labour. The past week has been tiring, but mornings in Feita start at seven thirty precisely, which gives you anywhere between one and two and half hours of extra sleep.

You're tempted to open your eyes when light peeps into your room. It would save you the agony later. The temptation isn't enough to overpower the warm cocoon of your bed, though, and you bury your face into your pillow, hoping to escape the wakeup call.

"WAKE UP, WAKE UP ROOSTER! WE'RE ALL READY FOR YOUR COCKLE-DOODLE-DOOO!"

Your sister is still as merciless as she was before the rebellions.

As you curl up shivering, Elesis laughs and tosses aside your blanket. "Morning, Els," she says. Her hair is frizzy and she's still wearing her flame-patterned pajamas, which means she got out of bed just to wake you up. "Seven thirty, time to get up."

"Can't I get a grace period to wake up?" You groan, flipping your pillow over and trying to cover yourself with it.

Elesis chuckles and rips the pillows out of your hands. "Not happening, Els." You open your eyes just in time to see her poke her fingers into your sides.

You sit right up in bed. "I'm fine!" You yelp, trying to blink the dark spots out of your eyes. "Holy fuck, Elsa, don't do that to me."

"Language, young man," she warns, her eyes suddenly darkening. "I know you're cranky when someone forces you to wake up in the mornings, but I'm still your older sister."

"Elsa, I'm turning twenty in a few months," you remind her.

"This is my house and I make the rules," she says, sticking her tongue out at you as she leaves the room. As a final act of goodwill, she turns the light on.

It takes a few minutes of sitting mindlessly on the bed for you to adjust to the light. Most of your clothes are still in your apartment back home in Ruben. You've been told it hasn't been cleared out yet, since technically you're just "visiting Elesis in Feita", but no one is risking venturing into Ruben again to pick up your clothes.

You've bought some new clothes to replace your old ones, though. Feita's clothing shops are a lot more design-oriented than Ruben, but the clothes you bought are still fairly simple. You tug on a black t-shirt with a red runic design and a pair of plain blue jeans before standing up.

At least your sister remembers to sweep the floor. Out of all the things you've forgotten to buy, it had to be socks. Over the past few days though, you've taken up Elesis' habit of walking barefoot in the house. There's no Aisha to be barking around at you, after all.

Speaking of Aisha, you haven't seen her since she dragged Allegro off to the archives on Sunday afternoon. Allegro later confronted you about it, assuring you that he's not interested in her and has a girlfriend already. You don't really know what to make of his words.

You trudge downstairs from your designated bedroom to the first floor, where Rena and Raven are having breakfast. Both of them have protested against Elesis letting all four of you crash at her house, but she's got more than enough rooms(no one knows why, considering she lives by herself) and the kitchen doesn't seem to be too small to hold the guests.

"Good morning, Elsword," greets Rena cheerfully. "Did you have a good night's sleep?"

"Mostly," you grumble, pointedly glaring at your sister. She shrugs innocently and goes right back to spreading chocolate spread on her toast. "Except _someone_ decided it would be a nice idea to taser me."

Raven snorts into his coffee mug. "We heard the screaming."

You ignore him and the smirk on your sister's face. "Has Aisha left already?" You ask, grabbing a random mug from the shelf and opening the fridge. Feita sells milk in bags, so your sister always puts the pitcher on the fridge door. _Bags._ Somehow the bag does not tip over or spill in the pitcher as it stands. You pour yourself a mug, though. Somehow it tastes sweeter than the milk in the plastic jugs back home in Ruben.

"Yeah. She's helping Lento and Allegro sort out a mess in the market," says Elesis. "Though I did tell them to return her to us by nine. I need to call a meeting."

"Did something happen?" Asks Rena. You don't understand how she could be eating a _salad_ for breakfast, but apparently it's something vegetarians do.

Elesis nods. "I got a message from… A friend. Last night. At two a.m." She groans as she puts her head in her hands. "Didn't get a wink of sleep afterwards."

At least it explains why she was up at seven thirty to wake you up. You pat her on the back and edge the chocolate spread out of her hands. Unhealthy or not, that stuff is _heavenly_. You spread it across your toast liberally, deliberately ignoring your sister's glare. You're going to enjoy it while you can.

As you fold the toast and take a huge bite out of it, Elesis begins to go over her plans for the day. She does most of the planning in the evenings before she goes to sleep, with Aisha and occasionally Allegro helping her. "Alright. Raven, the folks in the market are done cleaning up," she dictates, reading off her phone as she sips her coffee. "I'm getting requests for some help down in the power generators, though. Think you can handle it?"

"Sure," says Raven, downing the last of his coffee and getting up to wash the mug.

"Rena, after you check on Lento's back, can you speak to Vivace?" Elesis pauses. You remember hearing that Vivace's father got crushed by a falling building when the bomb dropped. "She hasn't spoken to me in days. I really hope she's alright."

"Will do." Rena grabs the stack of dirty plates from breakfast, along with the spatula still covered in chocolate. You snatch it back and stick it in your mouth as she turns to wash them next to Raven. "I'm thinking baked cabbage for dinner?"

Elesis makes a gagging face behind her back. "Please, no cabbage," she pleads. "I can't have too many vegetables in my system, I'm going to die from the vegetables."

You can't help but agree with her. Sure, your mother can make a nice stew out of any type of vegetable, but you need meat. Rena's vegetarian habits have probably rubbed off on Raven, who looks like this is normal. "It's not normal cabbage," assures Rena. "I found a shop that sells Sanderian cabbages. We call them nappa cabbages in Velder. Do you have a casserole dish?"

"Yes, but I've never used it." Elesis thinks for a moment. "I think Lento put it in the cabinet in the corner, but I can't be sure."

"Up or down?" Asks Rena.

"Probably the upper cabinet."

She reaches up and opens the cabinet. "Bingo," she says, zeroing in on the casserole dish. "Raven, dear, can you reach it for me please?"

"Only if you promise to never call me dear again," he mutters, but he moves to the corner and hoists the dish out of the cabinet, along with three packages of super spicy instant noodles hidden in the dish. "Here you go. I'm assuming you want me to put these back."

Before your sister can speak, Rena whirls on them both, looking furious. "Why do you have these horrid things in your house?" She demands, snatching the packages away from Raven. "Do you know how much preservative goes into a serving of instant noodles? For shame, Elesis!"

You hightail it out of the kitchen before Rena can unleash her mother chicken rage on you too. Elesis gives you the evil eye while you abscond up the stairs and she endures Rena's lecture. You return to your room and grab the damp socks you washed and hung up to dry last night. They're a little chilly when you tug them on, but they'll have to do.

Your sister is still trying to defend her love for instant noodles to Rena, who has now moved onto the argument that eating too much spice can cause one to grow pimples. You grab your backpack and your new red hoodie from the closet by the door, step into your shoes, and slip out the door as Raven tries to pull Rena off Elesis.

You blew nearly three hundred on clothes the other day, but the food around these parts isn't really expensive. You wander around the market, which is starting to come to life while you pass by. Shops open as you walk down the street, like a wave of opening doors following you. The telltale clacking of opening shutters crackles through the alley.

A familiar speck of purple in the corner of your eye prompts you to turn around. You find Aisha sitting in a small alcove, sipping coffee as she reads the morning paper on the tablet she bought once she got settled into Feita.

"Morning, Grape," you tell her, walking over and sitting down on the bench beside her. "Weren't you supposed to help Lento and Allegro with something?"

"We're done with that," she says, swirling the paper cup in one hand to cool it down. "Did you hear about what happened in Altera?"

You shake your head no, which she sees in the reflection of her tablet and sighs in reply to. "It was all over the news both last night and today," she says. "Commander Nasod held a soiree on Saturday evening. The hot new thing is that Lady Evangeline Nasod and her bodyguard skipped out of Altera while the thing was happening."

She smirks when your jaw drops. "That's not all," she says nonchalantly. "Rumours are that Lady Nasod's fiance was arrested in the aftermath of the escape for assisting the two of them." She chucks back the last of her coffee. "I heard that they're joining the rebellion force."

"The El Party," you recall, from one of your sister's meetings. "Speaking of which, Elesis is holding a meeting at-"

"At nine, I know," says Aisha. "We still have about forty-five minutes."

"Are you just going to sit here and drink your coffee?" You ask as she swirls around her cup again, shaking up the last crumbly grinds. "Buy a new coffee and then just sit here?"

"No, dumbass," she grumbles, turning off her tablet and shoving it in her bag. "I'm going looking for food."

"Where?" You wince immediately afterwards. _Right. Ask a stupid question, get a stupid answer._

Aisha gives you a dumbfounded stare before gesturing outside the alcove. "Um, hello? We're kinda _in a market_ ," she says, tossing her cup into a garbage can not far from your seat. "Come with me. I found a place that sells okonomiyaki."

Before you can ask what okonomiyaki is, Aisha has grabbed your wrist and is dragging you through the city market, passing by a group of schoolchildren rushing to buy the first batch of donut holes in the morning. An old woman takes your seat in the alcove as you and Aisha slip between carts and people and streets. The world around you lights up in a warm red glow that you've come to accept as home these past few days.

Finally, she stops at a small shop that's just opening up. "Good morning, Alto," she greets.

"Morning, Aisha!" Replies the shop owner, smiling warmly as they grab a pen from a nearby cup and a notepad. "What can I get you?"

"Two bacon okonomiyaki, please," she says, eyes sparkling.

Alto jots down the order before ripping it out of the notepad and sticking it on a peg behind them. "Forty dollars, please."

Aisha reaches into her purse and retrieves a fifty note. "Do you have change?" She asks.

They don't. While they go into the back of the shop to find a ten dollar bill, Aisha turns to you. "Okonomiyaki is a snack food from Sander," she explains. "It's mainly made of cabbage and egg, but once you put some bacon in it-" She starts jittering up and down. "Eeee! I love okonomiyaki!"

Your mind flashes back to Rena's offer to make _baked cabbage_ tonight, and your stomach lurches. "Sure," you manage.

Alto returns with both servings of okonomiyaki(you have to pronounce each syllable out individually) and a ten dollar bill, which they hand to Aisha. As the two of you walk away with a warm paper plate each, Alto waves enthusiastically. "See you soon!"

You squint at the okonomiyaki. It's just a cabbage pancake, drizzled in some barbeque sauce-like concoction and mayonnaise, topped with what seems like seaweed flakes and… Tree bark? "Do you really expect me to eat this?" You tell her incredulously as the two of you sit down at a bench in a small park. "Is that paper or tree bark?"

"Neither," she says, digging into the okonomiyaki with her fork. "They're bonito flakes. Try it."

As much as you hate to do it, you follow her lead, using your fork to cut a piece of okonomiyaki out and scooping it up. A tiny sliver of seaweed falls to your feet as you taste it.

"Well?" Aisha's smirk of triumph tells you she can see the blatant smile on your face. "How is it?"

"I should have more tree bark in my diet if it tastes this good," you comment, shrugging as you start shovelling the rest of the pancake into your mouth. Maybe it's because you've never lived outside Ruben before, but this is some _good_ food. Between the smoke of the bacon and the crunch of the cabbage, you've honestly never had anything so good before.

"I know," she says, watching you eat while she enjoys her own slowly. "Wait till you have takoyaki."

Both of you continue to eat the okonomiyaki, until Aisha's tablet suddenly beeps. "What could it be?" She wonders, pulling it out of her bag and pulling up the message.

BH(9:16): WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU

BH(9:16) AND BRING BACK MY BROTHER WE KNOW YOU'VE ELOPED

Aisha makes a strangled noise beside you. "The meeting was supposed to start at nine," she squawks, shoving the tablet back into her bag and dusting herself off. "Let's go!"

The two of you tear back through the market, into the residential sector, and back into the street where Elesis lives. Rena is standing at the door, looking like she just won the lottery jackpot. "So you two did elope," she says, sounding amused. "Did you enjoy your honeymoon?"

"We didn't elope!" Shrieks Aisha, pushing her aside and scrambling indoors. "Let's just go in and have the meeting, like we're supposed to!"

You follow her in, ignoring Rena's snickering and Raven's mildly amused chuckle while you take off your shoes at the entrance. "Your sister is not going to be happy with you," warns Raven. "She already took the brute force of Rena's lecture."

Lento and Allegro are already at the dinner table, the former peeling an orange from the fruit platter and the latter hugging a tablet to his chest. Elesis is sitting at the head of the table with her face in her hands. "Did I not say specifically to you that I called a meeting at nine?" She groans as you and Aisha take your seats on opposite ends of the table. Rena hands a stack of papers to her. "Thanks Rena."

She stands up. "Aight, kids," she says, slamming her hands down on the table. The platter of fruits shakes a little. "So as you've probably heard by now, Lady Evangeline Nasod left the Altera Plateau with her bodyguard. A friend of a friend of mine says she was in contact with someone outside the plateau who informed her of the bombing last week." She flips the page over. You realize she's holding an outline in her hands. "She holed herself up in her room for a day, allowing no one but her bodyguard in and out of her room."

"Two nights ago, Commander Adam Nasod held a soiree in commemoration of the launch of the Morpheus Project," continues Lento. "Our two escapees reportedly created a lockdown of the Altera Core to travel down fifty stories. Commander Nasod authorized the use of a force field built around the Core, which held them in temporarily until one of our allies working on the inside were able to get them out."

"That's where the problem lies," frets your sister. "Lady Nasod and her bodyguard were able to escape the Altera Plateau, but they dropped off the edge into Elder. One of our allies was supposed to escort them to us, but…" She winces. "Long story short, if she doesn't focus on her other job first, the entire rebellion falls to pieces."

"So basically we need someone to go to Elder, find Lady Nasod and her bodyguard, and bring them back here," says Raven. "Shouldn't be too bad."

"I'll go," says Rena automatically, standing up. "I've known Eve and Chung for a long time. I'll be able to find them in a crowd immediately."

 _Chung? Eve?_

"You will do nothing of the sort," snaps Elesis, gently pushing her back down into her seat by the shoulder. "Remember, Commander Nasod still has an arrest warrant on your head. If he's out looking for his sister and you bump into him, we instantaneously lose you. You're staying here."

"Wait."

Aisha's eyes are full of fire when she makes eye contact with you. You _know_ she heard what you heard, and she's just as concerned. "Did you say Chung?" she says incredulously.

"Yes," says Rena, narrowing her eyes. "Why?"

"Rena, we need you to answer truthfully," you tell her, pronouncing each word slowly. "Do Chung and Eve go by TacticalTrooper99 and BattleSeraph01 online?"

Her eyes widen in realization. "Yes," she gasps. "And-"

Aisha flashes her a weak grin. "Hey, nice to meet you," she says, sitting back down. "I'm ElementalMaster33, and this here is RuneSlayer12."

The entire table sits in silence for a moment. Raven looks ridiculously confused, like he's never heard of this before in his life. Lento opens his mouth to speak, then closes it. Your sister's jaw is dangling wide open, like she's unable to comprehend what's going on.

Then Allegro does the one thing he can do.

"Uh, hi," he says, standing up and shaking your hand and Aisha's. "I'm DiscoApothecary45."

No one speaks. Aisha makes a gurgling noise as she tries to comprehend his words. Allegro's shy smile melts off his face as he awkwardly sits back down. There are tears streaming down Rena's face.

Your sister has other plans. She explodes like an aerosol can over the table, hooting in laughter as she grabs your shoulder and starts shaking you uncontrollably. " _Unbelievable_ ," she gasps, brushing the hair out of her face as she collapses over the table again. "I can't believe you fucking nerds know each other over _a video game_."

* * *

You've only faced DiscoApothecary45-well, Allegro-maybe five times in the arena, and every time he's kicked your ass. Aisha has had a bit more luck with him-half the forum went batshit crazy when she threw a wild combo at him during an elimination tournament and came in first place.

"Not many people in Feita actually play," he explains as you pack a bag in your room. After her laughing fit ended, Elesis decided to send both you and Aisha to rendezvous with Eve and Chung. Allegro has been following the two of you around during your briefing, quietly waiting for his chance to speak to you. "Because the Elrios dollar is… kinda weak right now… I hacked in a few hundred bucks worth of K-ching and spent most of it on gear and amulets for upgrades.

"I will admit that I did spend at least two hundred on costumes, though," he says with a shiteating grin. "Got all the pieces I wanted and sold all the rest at affordable prices on the board. Gave my guildie a Royal Blood crown because it didn't fit the rest of my outfit."

"I've only ever spent twenty dollars on this game," says Aisha, walking in with a bag slung over her shoulder. "You remember when they had the dance costumes? I still have a set."

"She panicked because the dance wouldn't work," you supply. "I put the command in caps and it worked fine."

Aisha pouts. "The costume description didn't say to put it in caps," she mutters, tossing open your bag and rifling through the contents. "God, did you not buy more socks? We might have to trek through a forest to find Eve and Chung, y'know!"

"I don't exactly have the time or the money to buy extra socks!" You protest, snatching your bag away from her. "I already packed everything I need, I don't need you to tell me what to pack!"

Allegro shrinks as he quietly slides towards the door. "I'll leave you two to… Whatever it is you're doing." He coughs softly as he slips out. "I'm sorry if I'm being… Disruptive."

The two of you sit in silence on your bed as the door closes behind him. "That was… Awkward," you mutter as you redo the buckles on your backpack.

Aisha glares at you from the other side of the bed. "Have some tact, Cherry!" She snaps. "Great, you've literally scared off the best player on the EL server. How am I supposed to survive an entire fucking mission with you?"

The door slams open, causing both of you to jump in your seats and turn to Rena. She looks mildly amused as she stands in the doorway, a suspicious paper package in her hands. "Keep your door open, you two," she chides, striding in and sitting on the bed next to you. "We don't want any, ah, _unproductive incidents_ , do we now?"

You can't bring yourself to make eye contact with her or Aisha as you shake your head furiously. "We're heading out now!" Aisha says quickly, standing up and dusting off her skirt. "Is there anything else we're missing?"

"Well, Elesis told me to deliver this," says Rena, shoving the package into your hands. You unwrap it to find three pairs of black socks, still perfectly packaged. "Have fun!"

She skips right out again, giggling and glowing as she disappears around the corner. You get up as you pull apart the bindings on the socks, scattering plastic and paper bits across the floor. "Time to get going," you tell Aisha as you tug on a pair of new socks, marvelling at how soft and warm and _dry_ they are.

"Yeah," she replies absentmindedly, picking at her gloves. Rena gave her a healing balm for her hands a few days ago, but she can't seem to keep the bandages on. "Time to go."

A lot of the Feitan citizens seem to be peering out the window as you and Aisha begin your solemn parade out of the city. Between the spring chill and the shadows of the now lifeless residential sector of the city, your procession feels more like a funeral than it does the beginning of a quest. You pass by an old lady, who does an Ishmael bearing before clasping her hands together in silent prayer, and a small child who bursts into tears when you and Aisha turn around a corner.

Elesis, Rena and Raven join you when you reach the market. "Remember, don't scare them," frets Rena, rifling through both your bag and Aisha's. "And speak nothing of the rebellion to anyone except them, and don't talk about the rebellion unless you're a hundred percent sure that no one's listening!"

"Rena, I'm sure their bags are fine," says Raven, gently pulling her off Aisha's back and putting her taser back into the discreet side pocket. "Just get them and come back as quickly as you can, alright? We have faith in you."

"And don't forget, it's okay to be a little violent," says your sister, smirking as she ruffles your hair. "Worst case scenario, kick 'em in the nuts and bolt the fuck out of there."

Raven smiles wryly. "I'm sure that's not necessary, but it's effective," he concedes, putting his normal hand on Elesis' shoulder and his prosthetic hand on Rena's. "So… Uh… Good luck, is what we're saying."

You and Aisha take turns shaking their hands; Raven, then Rena, then Elesis. "You've got this," says Elesis as Rena pulls the two of you into a tight hug. You can't help but feel a little uncomfortable being buried in her chest. "Keep calm and just ride the hell out of it. Have some fun in Elder while you're at it."

Even the security guards are solemn when you and Aisha stop at the now ruined checkpoint, swiping your IDs in a older but nonetheless functional scanner. "Aisha Landar, Elsword Sieghart. Pass," dictates one of them. "El bless you in your journey."

"Best of luck wherever you go," adds the other, shaking your hand and Aisha's as he lets you out of the city borders.

You can't help but turn back. The two guards are standing, well, on guard, with your sister, Rena, and Raven standing behind them. "GOOD LUCK!" Yells your sister, giving you a grin and a thumbs up.

Aisha clears her throat next to you. "Well, we've got a long way to go," she says, pulling up her tablet. "We can get there by tomorrow, say, around noon."

She's hardly ever this quiet. You put on a smile, the biggest you can muster, and punch her in the arm playfully. "Race you there?"

Her worried expression turns into a daring smirk. "It's on."

You don't look back as the two of you leave the mountain city behind, for better or for worse.

* * *

 **A/N: this week's chapter brought to you by the Mii Channel Theme, koma'n's piano version of Meltdown, shitty exam grades, and stupid mistakes**

 **I don't actually write chapters _during_ exams but I have reserve chapters that I write ahead of time in preparation since sometimes i get periods of massive inspiration and just blurt out everything lol**

 **this chapter was not a reserve chapter and half of it did not actually follow my initial planning but oh well**

 **~MargaritaDaemonelix**


	5. Chapter 4

SPECTRUM

By MargaritaDaemonelix

Chapter 4

 _Something is sparkling above._

 _Maybe it's Mother and Father welcoming me to Hell._

 _Maybe it's a glimmer of hope for this godforsaken nation._

 _Maybe it's my own soul, bidding me goodbye._

You still hear your brother's furious screams roaring in your ears, even after landing safely in Chung's arms at the base of the plateau.

"We just need to keep running," he mutters, swerving to avoid a tree as the two of you enter the Shadow Forest on the edge of Elder City municipality. "He can't track us if we're constantly on the move."

"Let me down," you tell him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "I can run."

"No!" He yelps, tightening his grip on you. "Eve, you're wearing heels. I should have thought of this when I designed them, damn it. It'll be my fault if you trip and get hurt. Right now, we can't afford that."

Your knees creak as he lets his grip slide a little. It occurs to you that you're being ferried through the forest bridal style, but you're too tired to say anything about it. Within the acres of moonlit foliage overhead, you occasionally catch glimpses of Moby soaring with Chung's Destroyer, or Remy swinging around his sack of ammo. The stars disappear into the trees, woven into the darkness.

"Eve, tuck in!"

You blink and yelp as a passing branch snags onto your dress. Chung continues to barrel through the undergrowth, though. You watch as strips of fabric dance away from you in the darkness. "Chung, I'm so sorry," you tell him, bringing your legs in. "I've ruined your perfect dress."

"It's alright," he says quickly, though you can see grief begin to spread across his face. "I'll sew you a new one myself someday. I promise."

The little bits of synthetic silk that float across your vision seem to light up like little faeries of the night as they drift away into the darkness. Chung's heavy footsteps seem to slow down a little with every heartbeat. "Let me down," you insist, grabbing onto a nearby branch. He stops in his tracks. "I can walk. I'm not a delicate flower, at least not anymore."

Sighing, Chung relents and lets you step down. "You sure your heels won't sink into the grass?" He asks.

You can feel the stiletto points slowly melting into the ground, but you shake your head. "If worst comes to worst, I'll cut them off," you offer halfheartedly. "I brought a pocketknife."

Chung forces a smile. "You could sharpen the tips and throw them at people," he suggests, "like darts. Or arrows."

You shake your head as the two of you continue to venture deeper into the forest. "That's Rena's thing. I'm not exactly the best sharpshooter."

The night begins to blur as you wander through Elder's Shadow Forest, and though your feet threaten to sink into the mushy ground at any moment, you grab tightly onto Chung's shoulder and hoist yourself out. "They probably outspeed us," you murmur, stepping over a fallen tree and twisting to avoid its branches. "So we're going to have to outwit them."

Chung nods. "If my GPS signal is correct, we're not far from a small cliff," he reports, stomping down a large branch and helping you over. "There's a building at the base of the cliff. We can spend the night there."

"How far from Elder City are we?" You ask, squinting at what you feel like is light in the distance. "We could always just bunk in a tree or something."

"We're actually not far away," he admits, "but it's nearly two in the morning. People in Elder are sleeping right now, Eve. We can't just waltz in and demand refuge."

You stop. "That _is_ light," you realize, shaking Chung's shoulder. "Oh my god, Chung, that's light. There are people there."

He narrows his eyes at it before taking your hand off his shoulder and flipping up his visor. "Yep, that's light alright," he confirms, his voice reverberating from inside his helmet. "Do you want me to carry you down?"

"It's alright," you tell him quickly, speeding up your pace to match your words. "I can walk."

As you come to the cliff, you realize that the building below does in fact have occupants for the time being. A man and a woman are sitting by a campfire, speaking in hushed tones. The building seems to be empty, however, possibly due to the giant crater in the roof. Even in the dim moonlight, you can make out the features of what must have once been a laboratory.

Chung stops at the very edge of the cliff. Even though the drop from the staircase was high, you can feel your stomach churn at the very thought of this one. "Hello down there!" He calls out. "We come in peace!"

The two people suddenly look up. The woman runs towards the cliff, towing the man behind her. "We mean no harm," continues Chung. "Could we stay here for the night?"

"Of course," says the woman, cupping her hands around her mouth. "There's a staircase down to your left. Be careful!"

You turn to look at the creaky wooden staircase that she speaks of. It's not bad, but it'll be a one-way trip if you fall. "Let's go," you tell Chung.

As terrifying as it looks, the staircase isn't half bad. Chung is two steps in front of you, and you put your hands on his shoulders and stare at the back of his head to take your mind off the daunting slope. "We're almost there," he mutters softly, reaching up to rest his hand on yours as the two of you continue walking. "That's it. Almost there."

Even as your heels sink into the earth again, you don't take your hands out of his. "Come and sit," says the woman warmly. "I'm Helen. This is my husband, Glave."

Glave smiles wryly. "I think we've met before, Lady Nasod," he says. You instantly zero in on his golden eyes and silvery white hair, much like yours.

"Are you from Altera?" You ask, sitting down at the fire next to Helen. Chung takes his seat between you and Glave. "I'm sorry, I don't think I remember you…"

Glave chuckles. "Well, I did leave Altera when you were very young, Lady," he explains, poking the fire with a long branch. "We heard you're planning on joining the rebellion force."

Ah. So they are in contact with the rebels in Feita. "Yes, that's the intention," Chung says. "We have a few friends who are working with the rebels. We're trying to meet them in Feita…" He stares down at the fire. "I can only hope Commander Nasod's armed forces don't catch up to us before we can."

Helen lays a hand gently on your arm. "Well, you're safe with us for tonight," she assures you, smiling warmly. "Glave's set up some beacons that scramble any signals that can reach Altera, so you're pretty much in a cone of silence for now. No information can get in or out of this area."

You drop your bag at your feet as Moby and Remy float down and return Chung's things to him. "You aren't from around these parts, are you," you murmur, scanning the area. The thirteen beacons are set in a perfect circle around the small camp, from on top of the destroyed building to the border of the forest. "This isn't any technology I've ever seen."

Helen's cryptic smile only seems to confirm your idea. "I was born in Velder, if that's what you mean," she says. "Glave and I met eight years ago in an area not in any Elrian city jurisdiction. We're wandering folk now. We supply information to the El rebels in Feita, and if the occasion calls for it, we help hide them until things can boil down a little."

Glave nods in response. "That means you two, for now," he says. "We have some friends in Feita coming to meet you in Elder City. They'll be able to escort you to Feita safely."

"You two must be exhausted," says Helen, standing up and dusting off her clothes. "Lady Nasod-"

"Just Eve is fine," you interject quickly, smiling weakly.

She dips her head. "Alright. Eve, I have some more travel-friendly clothing for you, if you would like to change into something a little more appropriate."

You look down at your own torn dress. God, it feels horrible knowing that you've destroyed Chung's magnum opus. Even if he forgives you for tearing it to shreds, you can't forget his horror at the moment the dress fell to pieces.

"That would be really nice," you reply. "Thank you."

* * *

Helen takes Eve into their truck to change while you sit outside by the fire with Glave. He's not unfriendly, but the atmosphere is cold as the both of you sit in silence. The only sounds in the night sky are the crackling fire and Helen's chirping in the truck.

Glave sighs and reaches into his heavy jacket. For a moment, you think he's about to pull out a gun and shoot you, but when his hand returns with a slender box of cigarettes, you can't help but sigh in relief.

"You want one?" He says, offering you the box as he sticks one in his mouth. You shake your head no, and he chuckles. "Good. These things'll kill you."

He bends down to light it in the fire below, carefully avoiding the flames, and shakes it a little before sticking it back in his mouth. "Hey, kid," he says. "Can you do me a favour?"

Uh. You don't know what kind of favour he's asking, but you can give it a try. "Shoot."

He puts his cigarettes back in his jacket and rummages around. "Here," he says, handing you another package. It's a simple box, wrapped in pink wrapping paper. You can feel a card shift under the wrapping when you take it. "Can you give that to General Sieghart if you see her?"

"Is this for her?" You ask, opening your bag and tucking it into a pocket on the inside.

Glave shakes his head. "Nah. Red refuses to accept any gifts we send her, except when Helen bakes her cookies. This is for our daughter."

He laughs at the surprise on your face. "Yeah, I know we don't look like parents," he admits, "and we probably are incredibly shitty parents. We were actually really scared for what city Octavia would be aligned to, since we're never in one place for long. Red let us register Octavia in Feita. She's nearly four now, and she's living with some of Helen's friends."

He takes a deep drag of what remains of his cigarette before exhaling, releasing a puff of smoke into the otherwise clear night sky. "I miss her," he says quietly, gazing up at the stars. "We set down camp in Feita for a year when she was born, but we can't afford to put her in danger. It's for the best."

He looks down and realizes his cigarette has faded. As he pulls a new one out of his jacket, you get up. The fire is starting to get a little toasty for your tastes, as much as you hate to admit it.

Glave doesn't even bat an eye as you walk away from the campfire circle, slinging your bag over your shoulder and hauling your Destroyer behind you. The cone of silence extends past the ruined laboratory, and while it doesn't look so destroyed as it did from above, the building is clearly abandoned.

You kneel next to the shattered automatic doors and sweep your hand out. A fine layer of dust coats the glass shards at your feet. You press the button and flip your visor back up, closing your eyes until you can feel the cool glass wrap around your face.

When you open your eyes, you can see the insides of the ruined lab clearly, from the knocked over bookcases to the crumbling desks. A large metal plaque that once sat beside the door suddenly becomes visible in the dim light. You brush aside a layer of dust from the plaque, digging it out of the finely engraved text with your nails. Slowly, the text becomes legible.

 _Grenore Laboratories._ You sound out each syllable in your mind, wondering if you should be pronouncing the final _e_. You flip your visor back down and fish your tablet out of your pocket. You close your drawing app and open a note document. It takes a moment to take off your gauntlet, but you manage to type the two words into the document.

Your tablet screen flashes for a moment, vibrating as it automatically deletes the words itself. Great. It's censored. Just another one of the secrets Adam Nasod has covered up.

You're tired and mostly at a loss for ideas, but you open your drawing app again. In the file where you mapped out safe locations in Elrios, you write in tiny letters _Grenore Laboratories_ under the cliff, or at least where you think it is.

Thankfully, the drawing app doesn't delete the words, or worse, the entire the map. You save it on a separate layer and make it invisible, naming it _Elder9_ to keep with your naming scheme. Silently, you close the file, moving back to an earlier revision without the new addition.

"Oh, you look absolutely adorable, Eve dear!"

You get up and turn around. Helen has come out of the truck, hands on hips and a wide smile on her face. "Come on out!"

The first thing that you register when Eve steps out of the truck is that she actually chopped off the heels.

She looks slightly uncomfortable with the petticoat holster wrapped around her jean shorts, but you have to admit she looks great. Helen has taken apart your dress and removed the skirts, leaving Eve the top. She smiles bashfully as she sits down by the fire, slipping into a white button-up blouse. "Ta-da."

Helen smiles as she hands Eve a large black overcoat. "You can wrap this around your waist," she says. "It'll help hide the holster."

She turns to you. "I have another one, if you want it," she offers.

"Uh. Thank you, but I'll pass," you say quickly. "I have a less formal change of clothes in my bag."

"If you say so," she says. "It's getting late. You two should get some sleep."

She's right. You look over at Eve, who is tying the jacket around her waist. "We should have brought a tent," you realize, sheepishly rifling through your bag. "Do you mind-"

"Not at all," interjects Glave, flicking what remains of his cigarette into the campfire. "Helen and I can sleep in the front. There's a bed in the back you can take. Just don't touch the stuff."

Eve nods. "Thank you," she says, hesitating momentarily. "We are ever grateful for your incredible generosity."

"Did you expect us to turn you away?" Says Helen, laughing gently. "We chose this life to help others. I'd rather be kind and save lives now than be sorry later."

The soft sorrow in her voice makes you think of Glave's soliloquy about their daughter. "Really, though," you tell them as Helen ushers both you and Eve into the back of the truck, "thank you. I don't know what we'd be doing if we hadn't stumbled into you."

"Lady Fate had this in store," she says, pushing the both of you into the back of the truck. "I'll leave the door unlocked for now. Goodnight!"

"Goodnight," you and Eve echo. Eve lets the door swing open once more to let in Moby and Remy, who perch on a chest of goods in the back.

As the two of you settle down onto the bed(it's really just a mattress, but it's better than sleeping on the ground), Eve stretches her arms up and lies down, a content sigh escaping her lips. "Maybe it's not what I thought our first night on the run would be like, but it's certainly nice," she admits. "I thought we'd end up sleeping in a tree or something."

"We could have built a shelter in the woods, maybe," you offer. "Or we could have made a dugout by a riverbank."

"There's always the abandoned lab," she says. "Did you go looking around it?"

"Okay, so I did a little field research," you confess, laughing a little. "Tried to jot it down and my tablet censored it. Don't really know what to think about that."

"Mmm," she hums, turning around to face the wall of the truck. "G'night, Chung."

"G'night, Eve," you respond, laying your own head down on the pillow. There's a thin sliver of light coming from the part of the door that doesn't quite match up. A shadow passes through the light and disappears just as quickly, but you barely register it as you drop into the void of sleep.

* * *

 _Elder City, two days later_

"Good morning, Eve."

You awaken to the scent of brown sugar and cinnamon, just like every other hotel in Elder City. The warm taupe-coloured walls are speckled with gentle still-lifes of fruits and floral arrangements. Even the little bottles of shampoo, conditioner and shower gel in the bathroom smell like pumpkin pie, straight out of the oven. Your birds are pecking at the soft golden light, causing it to blink out every few moments.

Chung is standing over you, holding a mug of piping hot tea. "It's orange pekoe," he says sheepishly. "Sorry. They only have this and really bad coffee."

"Thank you, Chung. It's still better than nothing," you tell him, taking the tea. Even though it's not Earl Grey, you can still appreciate tea in the morning. Coffee only makes you feel shitty, but Chung seems to operate a little better with some heavy caffeine in his system.

"It's already eleven o'clock," he reports. "We have to check out by eleven thirty, but I really didn't want to wake you up. You really were tired last night."

You hate to admit it, but he's right. After leaving Helen and Glave, the two of you wandered through the Shadow Forest, completely lost. You stumbled into town at around midnight, and the one hotel that had a room was incredibly surprised to find itself hosting the two escapees of the Altera Core. You immediately crashed in the room the moment you walked in.

"I guess." You sit up and blink the dark spots away. "Thank you for letting me sleep in, Chung. We should probably get going and check out now."

"Sure. I already took a shower, so if you want to take one quickly, we have half an hour."

You're still covered in sweat and dirt from your adventures in the forest, so you stumble out of bed and into the bathroom. Sure enough, the mirror is still foggy, and the room still humid.

You peel off your clothes layer by layer, stacking them in a neat pile on the counter before stepping into the shower. You turn the water on, adjusting it a little colder because Chung likes warmer baths than you do.

For a few minutes, you stand under the running water, eyes closed, with your arms crossed over your chest. Now that the adrenaline of the escape has worn off, the weight of the world is starting to press in. Even last night was just hurried gasps of _we need to run_. Today, the thought of _what if we can't_ pounds with every beat of your heart.

" _Eve, time to get going!_ "

You blink. Chung stops tapping on the door and turns away. Quickly, you grab the shampoo bottle and the shower gel sitting on the little shelf before deciding there's no time. You drop them both and grab the soap, hastily scrubbing yourself down and turning off the water.

You step out of the shower, your hair dripping wet. You grab the nearest large towel on the rack and wrap it around your torso quickly.

"Eve, are you-Oh."

You whip around, splattering Chung with water. "Yeah, I'll wait until you get dressed," he mutters, his face bright red as he turns away and closes the door. "I'll dry your hair in a moment."

Ignoring your burning face, you towel off your hair roughly and toss the towel aside. You slip back into your clothes quickly. God, you regret not bringing a spare change like Chung had the foresight of doing. At least thanks to Helen you have something reasonable to wear, but what you do have is covered in sweat and dirt. You'll have to consider buying a set of new clothes while you're around these parts today.

Chung comes in once you're finally decent to properly dry and comb your hair, even though you insist on doing it yourself. "You're going to hit all the snags the wrong way," he scolds, gently nudging the comb out of your hand and turning it in your hair himself. "If you do it the right way, it won't pop the knots and it won't hurt."

You have to concede that his work with your hair is heavenly. He brings you up to speed with today's schedule while he blowdries and styles it. "I got in contact with the people Glave told us about," he reports. "They want to meet up with us in a cafe near the centre of the city."

"Do we need reservations?" You blurt, before realizing that would be a really bad idea considering your current status. "I'm sorry. I didn't think that through."

Chung smiles. "It's okay," he says. "I thought we should have made a reservation at first too. I guess it's just something we'll have to grow out of, seeing as we grew up in Altera."

That's right. You're no longer living in Altera, and you'll have to learn to deal with it. "Little steps," you tell him. He's left your hair down today, a glossy curtain falling over your shoulders. "Thank you, Chung."

"My pleasure, milady," he says, smiling.

One sweep of the room later, the two of you are taking the elevator downstairs. Unlike Altera's sleek metal elevators, this one is wooden and carries the same cozy warmth as the room did. A gentle hum fills the otherwise silent elevator cart while you try not to stare at the door. Even Moby and Remy look uncomfortable, perched on the handles.

When the door finally creaks open, you have to swerve to avoid a porter with a giant cart of luggage. "Sorry, Miss," he says, dipping his head. "Have a nice day."

Chung steers you to the front desk. "Don't make eye contact with anyone," he whispers. "We don't know how safe we are here."

You sit down in a chair by the elevator and wait as Chung quietly signs out at the counter. Moby and Remy land on the coffee table in front of you, cooing gently. "I don't have any treats," you admit, stroking their wings softly. "I'm sorry."

Remy nudges her beak into your palm, as if she's trying to console you. Moby pecks at your other arm supportively. Even though you might be feeling like shit, your birds always have a way to make you feel better. You let them nibble your fingers and climb on your arms while Chung finishes signing out and walks over.

"Alright, we have a rendezvous at the Sapphire Ivy cafe," he says, folding up the receipt and tucking it into his wallet. "We can get there in about ten minutes, according to my map."

Elder City is nothing like Altera City, or even what lies within the Core. You shuffle slowly through crowds of merchants, take a detour due to a mass congregation of people outside a bank, and pivot behind a bustling farmer's market. Several times you have to make sure no one's rifling through your bag in the chaos, and a few times you have to ignore merchants offering you spices from all around the world.

That's a lie, and you know it. No one has entered or left Elrios since your brother came to power, at least not the citizens. Within his "better Elrios", there's no need to leave the country to begin with, since all the luxuries one should need are all abundant within your own borders already.

Chung holds your hand tightly the whole way through the market. You watch his bag and make sure no one touches his ammo, though with his Destroyer swinging at his side, Chung clearly has no competition in this market. He pushes aside a vendor with a plate of oranges. "Fresh from Ruben!" Promises the vendor. "Thirty-five apiece!"

As mouthwatering as they look, you can barely smile as you turn away and continue to push through the crowd. Chung yells something incomprehensible at you over the din. When you cup your hand over your ear and raise your eyebrows in confusion, he turns to point wildly at a small building in the nearby distance. _That's the one._

You wrestle your bag from someone's grip, ripping it out of their hands as your turn your shoulder, and follow Chung into the cafe. While it's not in perfect condition, the gentle blue walls covered in what looks like a trellis of real ivy plants brings the small cafe to life. "Welcome to the Sapphire Ivy," says a waitress, smiling brightly at you. "Seat for two?"

"For four, please," says Chung.

The waitress nods, grabs four menus, and leads you both to a quaint little table. "Can I get you a drink to begin with?" She asks, taking a small notepad out of her apron pocket.

"A pot of Earl Grey, please," you respond, wincing when your voice cracks. "Thank you, miss."

As the waitress leaves with the order, you and Chung sit on opposite sides of the table, on the side closer to the wall. "Do you want any food?" Asks Chung, handing you a menu and grabbing one himself.

You crack the daintily decorated booklet open, running your fingers over the cool lace as you scan through the various pastries. The macarons don't cost half as much as they do in Altera, and you immediately choose five flavours for a mix-and-match platter. Chung smirks at you and orders a butter croissant, placing your joined total at just under a hundred and fifty.

The tea arrives first with your plate of macarons. While you nibble a sea salt caramel and Chung breaks a piece off a vanilla, he pulls up his tablet and hooks it up to the cafe's wifi. "I'll message RS and EM to let them know we're here," he says.

The door jingles as it opens. What appears to be an arguing young couple wanders in and is promptly seated at a table by the entrance. "I mean, how are we supposed to know if they're okay?" Says the girl, head in her hands. "How are we supposed to even tell who they are?"

"Shhh," mutters the red-haired boy, pulling up his phone and hastily tapping. "What's that thing you always say? Oh yeah. Patience yields focus."

"Butter croissant for one?"

You blink. A waitress has arrived with Chung's order. "Thank you," he says, taking the plate from her. It smells absolutely heavenly, much better than the croissants back in the Core.

"If there's anything else you need, just ring the bell!" She says, grin jubilant. "Thank you for your patronage!"

You nibble the edge off another macaron(red velvet this time. It's much better than the ones at the soiree) as Chung tries to find the contact Glave set you up with. Right now, you're in the middle of enemy territory, and anyone could be an ally or an enemy. For all you know, even your shitty fiance could be able to help you. The reality of it, though, is that he's probably locked up in a Lanox prison for interrogation, or, worse, dead.

"RS, this is not a good time to be buzzing me," he mutters. You tip his screen down a little to see what's going on.

RS: yo chung you good?

TT: i really don't have the time for this els

RS: wow

RS: is chung dropping the proper conventions for once

RS: is it the end of the world as we know it

TT: seriously dude i'm kinda stressed right now

TT: i'm supposed to meet up with two people but i can't find them

RS: smae

RS: hey

RS: i need you to do something for me really quickly

You glance at Chung, who hurriedly takes the tablet.

TT: shoot

RS: you remember what we were talking about last time

RS: regal comet

RS: nova

RS: say something about her

RS: out loud

TT: what

RS: just do it okay

RS: trust me on this one

Chung is still glaring at his tablet in shock. Instead, you clear your throat loudly. "So, what do you think of Nova's new class?" _Nudge nudge, wink wink_.

"Uh-ahem. The hyperactive is useful," he replies, just as loudly, "if you can immediately react and keep moving, that is."

The girl who had been arguing with the red-haired boy suddenly goes stiff, halfway across the room. "Let's go," she tells him, eyes narrowed as they stand up and push their chairs in. Your hand goes instinctively for your laser pistol under your jacket as they walk over smoothly.

But then the girl breaks out in a huge smile and holds out her hand for you to shake. "I'm Aisha Landar," she says, "and this is Elsword Sieghart."

"Aka EM and RS, respectively," chimes the boy. "We're here to be your escorts to Feita."

"But first…" Aisha sits down next to you, poking at the dish of macarons. "Mind if I..?"

They might not be the ideal escort team, you think as they sit down with you and Chung, but they're more than you could have expected. Sure, you might not have been as active a player as Chung, but at least Aisha and Elsword are people you know and not complete strangers. To you, they mean the world. You can't help but smile as you offer the pistachio macaron to Aisha.

"Help yourselves."

* * *

 **A/N: I am so fucking sorry for the hiatus.**

 **Between pressure from my family and other things I haven't been able to work on Blink as much recently. I didn't even get to upload the Elsai assassin AU oneshot like I said I would because I didn't have the strength to edit.**

 **I'm doing a little better now, but for now I'm putting a good amount of my writing priority on a collaborative piece I'm doing with my friends. Doesn't mean I'll be abandoning Blink, though. I've recently been hit by a ton of ideas I want to implement someday. I hope I have the strength to do so.**

 **I apologize for the mess with the hiatus. It shouldn't happen again.**

 **-Marg**


	6. Chapter 5

SPECTRUM

By MargaritaDaemonelix

Chapter 5

 **TW: Blood, violence, gore and death. Proceed with caution.**

The buff guard standing at the base of the building is starting to get on your nerves, and when someone gets on your nerves, there's usually some blood to be shed.

"Miss, I'm sure your spouse doesn't need any company in the prison," he says, wincing as you drape yourself across his arms. Sure, he isn't exactly eye candy, but you'll have to deal with it if you want any shot at busting Add out of prison.

"Oh, please, good sir!" You gasp dramatically, forcing your eyes to well up with tears. It's not hard when you summon the right thoughts. Within a matter of moment, you're a sobbing mess in front of the building. God, you hope it doesn't fuck with your contacts.

"Miss, I really can't let you in, not at this hour," he says, a little sternly, as he tries to peel you off. "May I please direct you to a local hotel?"

Okay. You're done here. You didn't want to have to add another person to your kill list tonight, but this little fucker is really getting on your nerves and you don't have the time to deal with him.

You let your stiletto blade slip out of the wraps around your wrist, into your waiting fingers. Swiftly, you put your right hand around his mouth, muffling his yelp as you tip his head down and drive your blade into his eye as far as you can. You can't help but smile at the satisfying _pop_ when the tip of the stiletto passes through his eye and goes into his brain.

Blood instantly gushes from the wound as his expression goes from shock to nothingness. When he goes limp and you start to feel his corpse drag you down, you yank your bloodstained blade out. A torrent of blood streams out of the wound when you let him drop to the floor, his Kevlar vest clunking against the cold pavement.

God, this is messy. You shake the blood off your blade to the best of your ability, wiping it on his jacket and tearing off a bit of clean fabric to wrap it in before tucking it back into your now bloodstained wraps. You have to resist that little itch on your nose as you wipe your hand off on the back of his jacket, watching the blood pool out from underneath you.

It takes a moment to drag the body into the corner, and it certainly leaves messy, bloody flowers all over the floor, but at least it's better than being splattered with it. For a moment, you're tempted to leave your signature on the wall, but it would likely give away Add's allegiance with you and the rest of the rebels, and you can't have that happening.

That's all under the assumption that the Altera government doesn't already know you're here. You open your bag with your clean hand awkwardly, tapping Eun's back lightly so she can jump out. "Careful," you tell her, a moment too late as her feet land in the worst of the blood stream. "... Oops."

Your fox gives you a look that shows you just how amused she is, but your bag is now free and you retrieve your phone quickly. "Where would Add be held…" You ponder, scrolling through the map you retrieved from a friend. "Probably in the highest security area."

It's a small wonder he hasn't been relocated to Lanox or sent to the morgue yet. Your only signal that he's still alive is that his earpiece has its own GPS signal, and you thank your dumb luck that it hasn't been dug out of his ear yet. You flick through the map as you wipe your nylon soles on the guard's jacket.

The prison is composed of a central control tower and four wings. The prisoners on each of the three floors ascend in terms of how grave their crimes were determined. The west and south wings house "political misfits", or really suspected rebels. You figure Add's not going there if he's already confirmed one.

The north wing is for Nasod's personal enemies. "A possibility," you hum under your breath as you scroll down a little more.

The east wing holds the interrogation chambers. "Perfect," you mutter. Third floor, east wing. You've found your target.

You're very tempted to go straight into the building, but you're clearly very out of place. Your white garments contrast too much against the dark uniform of the guards. You sigh, looking around for any possible obstacles in your race to the east wing.

As you look up, however, a grin blossoms on your face.

 _Ah, just what I was looking for._

You zip your bag back up and sling it on your arm as you look for for a chink in the wall. Sure enough, there's a brick just an inch out of place that serves as the perfect grip. You reach up, dig your nails into it, and hoist yourself up.

Straddled in the corner, you can't really move, but you're almost at eye level with the security cam. You flick your hand gently, allowing your phone to slip through the wrappings on your wrist and into your hand.

A quick scan of the security cam tells you all you need to know to get past the other ones. Since this cam guards one of the side entrances, you can probably assume the main entrances will have even more advanced cameras. This one uses thermal imaging and radio waves, as well as normal videotaping, although after you got a friend to mess around with the lights in compound, the videotaping capabilities have been compromised. Hence the influx of human guards outside the compound.

You drop back to the ground, kicking the guard's head in the process. Another wave of blood gushes out of his eye socket, staining your shoes red. Goddammit. You're going to have to get new ones at this rate.

You open your bag and take out your jacket. About five years ago, you recovered this jacket from your first kill as an assassin-a Hamel Navy Officer. Today, it continues to be your favourite jacket, especially because it matches the rest of your white clothing, and it's made with special waterproof fabric, which helps some of the nitty gritty stuff wash off easily.

It's also your favourite because a friend of yours helped you tinker it a little. Now, it serves as excellent scrambler gear, especially thanks to the extra length that goes down to your ankles. You slip into the jacket, keeping your bag tucked underneath. After all, the bag isn't made of scrambler material.

Eun mewls innocently at you, and you smirk. Spoiled little fox. "Okay, you win," you tell her, holding your bag open. She jumps on the guard's back, wipes her paws delicately and uses it as a platform from which she climbs into your bag. It's a lot safer if you carry her, after all. Even if she manages to evade sight cameras, thermal and audio trackers might still be able to pick her up.

You glance down at the guard. The blood should stop flowing from his ruined eye in a few minutes. For now, you turn his face down. You don't look back once as you slip through the shadows, to the other side of the compound.

Alteran security cams try to employ the five senses and then some. The lack of light takes care of natural sight cameras. Your jacket thankfully erases your heat signature. You've taken care of pressure plates and audio-based technology by wearing shoes of your own design. With soft nylon soles and flexible fabric padding, they're great for running with grace and silence, as well as a long list of other things including painting, parkour and breaking someone's neck.

There's been stories of a scent-based camera floating across the Elrian underworld, but Add says no such thing has been created. If anything, you smell like a fox, albeit a lightly perfumed one. Hopefully if such a camera has been made, you won't have to deal with it.

You are the only thing that moves in the Alteran night, and no one approaches you. The blood crusting on your feet is starting to get annoying, but you make it to the East wing swiftly. From a pocket in your jacket, you grab a length of rope attached to a small hook, and from your bag you extract a small mechanism from which to launch it. Silently, the hook sails through the sky, undetected by the cameras due to its compact size.

You grin as you tug on the hook and it stays, holds fast onto the roof. "Hang on," you whisper to Eun. She's not as appreciative of your sense of humour, but you push your wrist wrappings up to your fingers and grab onto the rope.

One bit at a time, you hoist yourself up onto the roof. It doesn't take long, because even though you've knocked the patrol out, sometimes you get a little paranoid. You sigh in relief as you hoist the rest of the rope back up.

 _Click._

"Drop the rope. Hands in the air."

You don't even respond to him. You sweep your leg out, causing him to stumble back. Standing up, you kick backwards, feeling your bloody foot connect with the guard, before flipping around and swiftly roundhouse kicking him in the face.

The pistol skitters to the floor. You lunge forwards just as the guard wraps his fingers around the grip.

 _Bam._

You blink. The pistol is in your hand, albeit your right hand. The guard lies motionless on the rooftop, a bloody hole in his forehead. His fingers are lying in weird directions. You assume you must have broken them in your struggle to grab the pistol.

It's only eleven thirty, and you've already taken out four non-targets, two of whom without any form of mercy. You wince as you kneel beside the guy and push his eyes closed.

Blood continues to dribble out of the hole in his forehead.

 _Silly girl_ , part of you whispers as you open the hatch in the ceiling. _You're every bit as bad as your precious brother. Can't you see? You're just as bloodthirsty as he is, maybe even more. While he's sitting up in Sander, you're down here bathing in the blood of innocents._

"Shut up," you growl. "These are not innocents. Innocents wouldn't be guarding a max security prison in Alteran while Adam fucking Nasod tortures people."

The voice doesn't respond. Maybe it doesn't want to deal with you right now.

You look down into the hatch. It leads right into a hallway. Judging by the pings on your phone, you're sitting right above the room where Add's being held.

Eun pokes her head out of your bag. She looks unamused as you gesture at the hallway below.

"Pretty please?" You ask, pouting a little. "I'll get you steak next time we're in Lanox." Maybe you feel a little guilty about plying Eun with food, but it's worth it.

Your fox sighs in exasperation, or at least the fox equivalent of it. She jumps out of your bag and into the hallway, where she begins to sniff the ground for Add.

You allow yourself a small smile as you open your bag again. "Attagirl," you mutter, taking out an old tuna can. You've had this one for a while now. You wonder if your _modifications_ will still work. "Now for everything to fall into place."

* * *

The world comes back in full colour about four hours after the first interrogation.

You groan as you wriggle your hands behind you. The magnetic cuffs that bind them together are really starting to hurt, as much as you hate to admit it.

The scar on your neck burns in sympathy.

The door creaks open, and you sit up straight as Adam Nasod walks in, decked out in all his Alteran glory. "Add," he cooes, sitting down across from you. "What a pleasure to see you here."

You've dealt with this fucker's grating voice for five years. You suppose you can live with it for another five, ten minutes before you're inevitably executed with the new Alterasia formula. "The pleasure's all mine," you reply, the ghost of a smirk on your lips. "What may I do for you today, oh mighty commander?"

You flinch the moment his hand comes up, but it's too late to avoid the slap. "We could have had everything under control," he snarls, "except _you_ let them out. _You_ opened the gates for them."

"Just granting my fiancee's wishes," you tell him, shrugging. Your face is going to swell up in minutes, you can feel it burning, but you smile nonetheless. "Evangeline is happy, isn't she?"

Nasod looks like he's going to slap you again, but he keeps glaring at you while he beckons at the window. A man comes in, bearing a bottle and two champagne flutes. Only when he finishes pouring out two pristine servings does Adam finally turn his gaze away. "Thank you," he says. "You are dismissed."

Something clicks behind you. Your wrists fall free as the magnetic bindings between them fall apart. You roll them one way and the other, wincing as the heavy cuffs run over the sore parts.

"Here." Nasod shoves a champagne flute in your face. "Have a drink with me."

You look at the glass warily. "Not in the mood for drinking?" He asks, almost daring you to say no. "Give me a toast. We can work something out."

It seems like you don't really have a choice. You wrap your fingers around the delicate stem. "To Altera," says Nasod, raising his.

"To Altera," you echo, clinking yours against it.

You don't really drink, just press your lips to the edge of the glass. Nasod downs half of his, though. "So who do you work for?" He says, wiping his mouth on his sleeve. "The rebels in Feita? The Lanox uprising?"

"I work solo," you laugh. Technically, it's not a lie-just not the whole truth. "I don't affiliate with any groups, no one affiliates with me. That way, I can get my work done and get out."

"But you worked as an undercover agent in my government," Nasod reminds you. "For _five_ years. Six if you count the first year when you were an intern. I'll ask you again. Who do you work for?"

"And I'll say it again. I don't work for anyone but myself," you tell him. "In my field of work, Adam, it's dangerous to have friends. I keep my enemies close, but I make sure no one can ever call me their friend."

"I'll give you a deal," Nasod says, downing the last of his champagne. "You must have crossed paths with some of the organizations in your _field of work_. Help me take them down, and maybe I'll forget this happened. You'll return to your position in the Morpheus Project."

"No can do." You shake your head solemnly. "I know too much and too little for that to happen."

"Sir."

Nasod turns around. "We have his files and his DNA test results, sir," says the new guy, placing a thick folder on the table in front of him.

"Keep the door open on your way out," says Nasod absentmindedly as he picks up the file and cracks it open. "My, my, Add, you have quite the clean record. No arrests, no time served, you don't even have a driver's license."

"I can't drive," you mutter. "Give me a car and twenty minutes and I could learn."

"Mmm," hums Nasod. "You also have no parents, according to this file. No adoptive guardians, no biological parents, nothing. No siblings."

You stay quiet this time. It's the truth. When you put your new ID into the system, eight years ago, you chose to not enter anything, to retain some level of anonymity.

"Then we ran your DNA tests," he continues, pulling another sheet of paper out of the folder. "It matched your ID, thank God, but do you know what else it matched?"

Out of the corner of your eye, you spot a flash of white and red. You swallow down the urge to smile. "I don't know, you tell me."

Nasod leans forward, eyebrows furrowed. You can feel his breath wash over your face. "You're not supposed to be alive, Grenore," he hisses.

"Fox," you reply.

In the moment it takes for you to throw your champagne in his eyes, you can see his expression change from anger, to shock, to complete and utter confusion, then to pain. It's almost comical when you hear his shriek.

You kick the table out from under, causing it to crash into Nasod. Sirens begin to blare as you scramble away from the twisted table, scooping Eun up. "Where's your owner?" You mutter, ignoring your stupid cuffs as you kick the door open and look out. The hallway is bathed in red from the swivelling lights, but nonetheless you spot Ara, holding what looks like a can of tuna.

"Close the door!" She yells, pointing behind you. You turn around just in time to grab the doorknob. Adam Nasod screams in pain as you slam the door on his fingers with a sickening _crunch_.

"Take your goddamned fox," you tell her, shoving Eun into her arms. She tosses the tuna can to you. "Wha-"

"Pull the tab," she instructs you, opening her bag and dropping Eun in. "Pull the tab, drop it and amscray."

You decide not to ask. You dig your fingers into the tab and yank it out of the can. Immediately, it begins fizzing, which you take as a good sign to drop it and run after Ara.

"How'd you get in?" You ask as the two of you run down the hallway, towards a stairwell. She swings her leg up to kick open the door. Her foot is covered in a crust of drying blood. "Actually, don't answer that. How many this time?"

"Four," she says, slamming the door shut and bolting it with the bar. The hallway lights up in deafening fire as her homemade "surprise" finally explodes. You can feel the heat from it all the way here in the stairwell. "Two on the way up the plateau, one by a side door, one on the roof. Speaking of which…" She reaches into her inside pocket, taking out a pistol, and tosses it to you. "Picked this up. You might need it."

While the two of you descend the staircase, you examine the pistol, turning it over in your hand. It's sleek and well constructed, clearly made for an officer. The muzzle is splattered with blood. You try to erase the mental image of Ara standing over a still-warm body, eyes alive with fire, but you've seen it happen all too many times for it to truly be gone. You flip up the safety and shove it into your pocket.

"Are you still in cuffs?" She asks as you pass by the second storey door, grabbing the handrail so you don't tumble over the edge. "Ah shit, I didn't bring anything to fry them with."

"Don't worry," you tell her. "I still have my phone."

"Huh, I thought they'd have confiscated it," she muses.

"Nah." You smirk. "Turned the thing off and shoved it in my shoe when I figured the guards were coming after me." It's a little awkward running with your phone under your foot, you admit, but at least you had the sense of taking out the gel insole first.

Ara makes a clicking noise with her tongue as she crashes into the first floor door, knocking it off the top hinge. "You're going to break it if you do that," she chides. "Imagine if you put your phone under your foot while it was still on. You might accidentally summon one of your gadgets and accidentally blow up a town."

"Oh please," you snort, following her out the door. "As if I'd be stupid enough to do that."

"You never know. Maybe in another universe, another life."

The two of you run in silence through the east wing's ground floor. Thank God this wing is just interrogations. Out of the four wings and the control centre tower, it's the least guarded and has the least patrols.

The one patrolling guy you do run into doesn't even stand a chance. Ara sees him way before he sees her. He's out the moment she rams into him, his head hitting the floor with a sound _plonk_. "Shouldn't be dead, this one," she tells you, though her voice wavers as she stands back up. "Now let's go. I have scrambler gear, _you_ don't."

The base is calm as the two of you waltz out the side door, aside from the sirens and the train of explosions that follow Ara's tuna bombs. Thanks to her scrambler gear, the signal your handcuffs were supposed to send out got jammed, and as a result, the police have no clue where you are. Nasod might just be a smoking corpse in that interrogation room right now, and they probably wouldn't even know.

You pass by a bloody mess on the floor, a man facedown in his own blood. Quickly, you glance at Ara, who shrugs. She tips her toe in the bloody mess, scratching out her stylized _Asura_ on the clean pavement beside him. "Let's go," she says. "My shoulder is really starting to hurt."

You follow her out of the compound, shielded by her scrambler gear. "There's an old golf buggy we can take," she tells you, her face ghostly pale in the little light provided by the moon.

"Who'd you bribe to take down the lights?" You ask, squinting in the darkness. "The blondie?"

"Well, you were in prison," she reasons.

"CEASE AND DESIST!"

"And there's the angry Alteran police we all know and love," you mutter under your breath. "You're driving."

"I know," she mutters in reply. "Run faster. We don't have all night."

The golf buggy she mentioned is in a large canopy, locked down with a large padlock. "Pistol, please," she says, reaching to you with her open hand as she examines the padlock. You take it out of your pocket and give it to her.

Ara smiles in that creepy Ara way. "You might want to get in," she says, her eyes glimmering with mischief. "Also, be a dear and start up the buggy for me. We're a little short on time."

You don't need to be told twice. As you hop over the chain and into the shotgun seat, Ara raises the pistol and shoots it right into the hole of the padlock. "It's coming loose," she growls, shoving the pistol into her pocket and wrestling with the lock with both her hands. "Goddamnit!"

You reach under the steering wheel and open the compartment. There's usually an emergency startup button in these things. You feel around, sprawled across the seats and accidentally pulling _something_ in your neck. "Oh, that's gonna be sore tomorrow," you wince, groping around the compartment. "Here."

You hit the button with your thumb, and the engine whirs to life. Ara triumphantly rips the padlock out of the chains, which clatter to the ground. "MOVE IT!" She shrieks, nearly shoving you out of the buggy as she barrels into the driver's seat and floors it.

The buggy shoots itself into the darkness, completely ignoring the group of screaming guards. "Hold onto your hat," Ara yells, glancing back for a moment before squinting at the approaching gates. "We might just make it in time. Keep your arms and legs inside the buggy at all times."

It's a little hard to argue against her. You reach over your shoulder and buckle yourself in quickly as she swings the entire buggy around at the gates, using the sheer centrifugal force of the turn to knock the closing gates open and shuttle out of the compound.

As you pass by the guard tower, the lights of the compound come back on, starting with the guard tower, spreading to each light on the wall like a train of dominoes, and eventually going back to the compound base. An angry shriek in the distance rises, incomprehensible but unmistakably Adam Nasod's voice. You find yourself nodding to the night, like you're acknowledging the dirty fucker's survival.

Ara's gaze is permanently fixed on the dark night ahead of her. "Get you phone out of your shoe," she says, making a hard turn to avoid a tree. "You might want to deactivate your cuffs before Nasod realizes you're still wearing them.

She's right. You reach down, ignoring the burning pain in your neck, and peel your shoe off. There's a ridge on the sole of your foot in the shape of your phone, which you take out and turn back on. The black screen lights up in a gentle dark grey, the outline of your power button seal flashing for a moment before filling in lilac purple.

Quickly, you scan the cuff on your left hand. The green lights on both blink out before flashing up in purple. Their properties and full controls show up on your phone screen, which you swipe through quickly, looking for a single toggle.

You frown. "There's an issue," you announce, grimacing. "Your jacket fried about half the controls." You flick the toggle back and forth, but nothing happens. "The cuffs won't open."

"Well, then," she says, "you're just going to have to deal with two pretty bracelets until we can find some tools to pry them off."

You're disappointed, you admit. Your wrists still hurt underneath the cuffs, but the adrenaline of the escape has made it a little more bearable. You flip open your phone and permanently set the lights on the cuffs to your signature purple, adjusting their motors so they're just tight enough to fit around your wrists perfectly.

It's a nice night for driving. Watching Altera's districts blend with the darkness, one by one, you try to make out the different landmarks. The shopping district. The cultural district. The Museum of Elrios and the Art Gallery of Elrios. The Core looms ominously in the background, towering over the rest of the sleeping city. You take in a deep breath, the chilly night air settling into your lungs as your neighbourhood passes by.

"Are we going to go get my stuff?" You ask.

Ara smirks. "Well, we're kinda trying to escape your madman of a future brother-in-law," she says, one hand on the wheel and one tugging her bag in. Eun pokes her nose out. "We're going to have to lay low for a few days."

"Where to?"

You really shouldn't trust that smile anymore. "Lanox," she says nonchalantly. "I hope you don't mind the heat."

You _do_ mind the heat, but you say nothing as Ara continues to drive the golf buggy into the night.

* * *

 **A/N: ayo look who's alive (not)**

 **I basically spent the last week boiling in anxiety hell but it's almost march break and my parents are going back to China which means I'm freeee**

 **uh a little notice tho, aside from Blink I now have not one but two extra writing projects, one is the collab thing i keep mentioning and the other is a writing blog that I just got accepted to! I'm currently on probation for the blog but I'm thinking of churning out 4-5 short drabbles a day, and the collab has a bi-monthly update schedule even though we haven't posted anything yet lol**

 **I may change the update schedule of Blink to bi-monthly as well depending on how many reserve chapters I get done over the break. I am sorry in advance.**

 **I'm sitting in comtech class and my friend is trying to figure out how I consistently churn out 5k chapters lololol**

 **We've now unlocked 10/12 major characters... Or have we...**

 **~Marg**


	7. Chapter 6

SPECTRUM

By MargaritaDaemonelix

Chapter 6

You have no clue what you just stole off Eve's plate, but it's _good_. The crispy edges and the soft filling aren't necessarily, say, filling, but it's light and sugary and tastes like a rainbow unicorn drifted down from the heavens and made a meringue poop on your plate.

She's incredibly quiet, sitting stiffly with her hands folded delicately in her lap. "Hey," you tell her, nudging her arm with yours, "do you want anything else to eat?"

Eve blinks at you. "I will be okay," she says softly. "Thank you. If anything, I should be the one to offer you food. You do come from Bethma, do you not?"

It's the truth, but you can't stop your face from burning. Quietly, you accept the menu that she hands you. The gentle, flowing letters remind you of the seashell-themed scrapbook your aunt once kept. _Croque-monsieur_ , you read in your mind. _Creme brulee. Poire belle helene. Tarte tatin_.

"What's this?" You ask, pointing at a relatively cheap item. You can't see a preview image for it, but you assume Eve should know what it is.

She stares blankly at the menu item. "Fromage frite?" She rolls the r's elegantly, which you assume is the proper pronunciation. "That's a fried ball of cheese."

You grimace, and she nods, wrinkling her nose. "Ew, cheese," the both of you mutter in unison, before breaking out in laughter.

Across the table, Elsword and Chung are focused on Chung's tablet, where Chung is sketching out the chassis of a howling wolf. "Holy heck," mutters Elsword, fingers curled tightly around his teacup. "Didn't know you could do that on a tablet."

"It's not hard to get used to it," replies Chung, his gaze still trained on the tablet. "Your traditional artwork is great, I think you could get the hang of digital illustration very easily."

Quickly, he opens a new layer and selects another brush and colour, which he uses to shade in the wolf's eye. "It's a lot more free," he explains, "because you can erase freely and work in any colour you want. The possibilities are endless."

Eve leans across the table, brushing Chung's hand aside gently, and fills in a hole he missed. "Chung is very talented with traditional artwork too," she says, "but digital art is a lot more convenient and versatile."

You can see what she means. As she and Chung fill in the colours together, you glance at Elsword. In the few years that you've known him, you've seen his artwork maybe once or twice. Even if he tries to hide his art from you, it's clear that he's pretty attached to artwork.

As he stares mesmerized at the tablet screen, you find yourself studying his facial features very carefully. His brows are furrowed as he sketches out something with his finger on the table. It's almost endearing, watching him suppress his love of art in the name of his duty.

"Let's hurry up and eat," says Chung, saving the file and putting his tablet on sleep mode. "Then we can go discuss the insurgency outside."

You split the last of the magical little cookie sandwiches with Eve. She tells you it's called a macaron. You savour the word in your mind as the last traces of hazelnut dance on your tongue. Elsword chugs a cup of tea and nearly gets slapped by Eve for his improper etiquette. You figure someone ought to teach him a lesson.

Eve insists on paying the entire bill herself when it comes. There's something pulling on your stomach as she opens a wallet, stuffed with bills, and extracts two delicate hundred bills. "How the heck do you have so much money?" You whisper as the waitress takes the little booklet away.

"I don't," she replies. "I took this out of my brother's account."

The four of you leave the cafe and wander into the market. Despite the constant screaming in the marketplace, there's a sort of awkward silence between the four of you that hovers above the din. You have to navigate between crates of oranges and towers of freshly baked bread as you exit the main market and stop in a small street.

It's just as welcoming as the main market, but there's half as many people and it's twice as cozy. There's a gentle breeze that makes it just chilly enough to keep you on your toes, but not so much that you'll get sick. "So now that we're mostly out of earshot," murmurs Chung, pulling you all together in a huddle, "what news do we have?"

Elsword smirks. "Well, first and foremost," he says, "you're safe with us now. We're directly working for General Elesis Sieghart, head of the revolution."

"She has given us probably most of the information you might need," you add. "Including a network of people working on our side, who we can trust."

Eve grabs your arms suddenly, looking frantic. "Please tell me Rena got to Feita safely," she says, her eyes pleading.

"Don't worry." You put your hands on hers and smile. "Rena's too awesome for us. She's head medic at the Feita hospital right now. She told us to, ah, not scare you?"

"That sounds like her," mutters Chung under his breath, before he straightens up. "Do you have a status on Add Kim?"

You frown. "The name seems familiar," you tell him. "Do you have any other specifications? A title, a position?"

"He's my fiance," says Eve. "My brother's right hand man. DiabolicEsper66 in our guild."

"He helped us take down the barrier around the Core," explains Chung. "Probably got caught after we got away. Do you know if he's alive?"

Elsword snaps his fingers. "I remember now," he exclaims. You're tempted to throw a _for once_ out there, but you decide to keep your mouth shut. "Add Kim is the guy who got thrown in the Alteran prison."

Both Eve and Chung shudder. "Okay, I know your fiance is shitty, but he doesn't deserve to get thrown in the Tunnel," says Chung, putting a hand on Eve's shoulder.

"The Tunnel?" You wince as soon as the words leave your mouth. Eve's thin smile twists into something pained. "We called it the Block in Bethma."

"The Block might be a more accurate name for it," Eve concedes. "It is shaped like a block. We call it the Transporting Tunnel, because all that comes out is dead bodies."

"It's a one-way tunnel to insanity," adds Chung. "If Add really has been thrown in there…"

"El save his soul," you mutter.

Elsword clears his throat. "Rena also said we should try and have some fun in Elder," he suggests. "So how about we go, I don't know, window shopping?"

Eve and Chung stare at him for a moment before breaking into light laughter. "You don't need to window shop," says Chung. "We can buy you stuff."

"Please," you blurt, knocking Elsword to the side. He makes a panicked yelp, but you ignore him. "Please buy this idiot some socks."

* * *

Chung pays for the six-pack of socks that you find in a dirty little shop. Both he and Eve repeatedly assure you that they're not expensive, especially for their value, but nearly a hundred for six pairs of socks is a little wild for you. "Come again!" Chirps the old lady running the shop as the four of you leave.

"So what else would you like?" Asks Eve, eyes glimmering with excitement as Elsword breaks open the package to put on a dry pair of socks.

"You do know that you don't have to do this for us, right?" You tell her.

"It only seems right." She blinks, and the energy fades from her eyes. "You've come all this way to escort us. We should at least treat you to something you like."

She stops in the doorway of a shop, examining the clothes hung on the rack outside. "Polyester," she dictates, feeling the fabric. "This one's cotton."

She looks you over quickly, eyes narrowing in silent scrutiny. "What's your opinion on white coats?" She asks.

You blink, thinking back to Raven wearing the scrubs in the hospital. "I guess they're okay?" You give her a half-hearted smile. "Really, Eve, you don't need to buy me anything."

She's already digging inside the tiny shop, taking a white hoodie off a rack. "Here, try this on," she says. "The fabric is waterproof, so it should be very versatile."

You take the hoodie from her gently. It has a soft lining and two purple pockets on the sides with a stylized embroidered V on each. "This is really cute," you murmur, opening the front to look for the price tag.

"Then it's settled," decides Eve, snatching the hoodie away from you before you can read the price. "I'll pay for it."

"Hey," you protest, reaching out to grab it but only barely managing to skim it with your fingers as Eve lays it on the counter. "Eve, you really don't need to."

"It's not expensive," she says, shushing you enthusiastically as she lays a bill on the counter. "Could you please cut off the price tag so this young lady here doesn't have a panic attack?"

The clerk shrugs, and before you can protest, they whip out a pair of scissors and snip off the price tag, tossing it at an overflowing garbage can behind them. It bounces off a sheet of crinkly plastic and hits the floor, facedown. You're never going to see the price of the hoodie that Eve now hands to you.

"Put it on," she tells you.

At a complete lack of ideas, you slip one arm, then the other, into the hoodie. It's definitely warmer than you'd expected. "Oh, Aisha, you look adorable," Eve tells you, her eyes sparkling. "Look at yourself in the mirror."

She spins you around on your heels. It's just plain old you in the mirror. God, your hair is messy. The hoodie stands out like a pair of glossy white wings, enveloping you in the pureness of new clothes. The contrast against your dull purple sweater is too much to be normal, yet just enough that it's still you.

Maybe your life is just another cliche. Cinderella spends her childhood in terror, meets her fairy godmother and finally gets to go to the ball. This is your gown, your ticket to freedom, but it's also the first step away from your mother.

You smile. "Thank you, Eve," you tell her, turning to her and giving her a small hug. She's confused for a moment, but you eventually feel her hands come to rest lightly on your back.

The hoodie proves it worth when you step back out into the street. Wrapped in its warmth, you're no longer as cold as you were, just a few minutes ago.

You have to hide a smug smile when you and Eve join back up with Elsword and Chung, the former's eyebrows shooting skyward and the latter still smiling angelically. "How do I look?" You ask innocently, spinning around on the ball of your foot.

As girly and ridiculous as it makes you feel, the look on Elsword's face makes it all worthwhile. He makes a noise like he's trying to hack up a hairball.

Chung flinches in distress at the noise, but pretends that Elsword didn't just choke on air. "Looks great!" He offers, giving you a pat on the back. "I'm going to assume Eve wouldn't let you see the price tag."

"That is correct." You pout as Eve puts a hand on your shoulder. "Is there anything else either of you would like?"

"Anything at all," adds Chung. "Really."

Elsword bites his lip for a moment. "If it's really not a hassle…" He drops his gaze down to his feet. "Could I maybe… Get my ears pierced?"

You feel your breath catch in your throat for a moment. Elsword? With his ears pierced? You didn't think he'd have the sheer _edge_ in him, but looking over his black shirt and jeans now, you kinda wish you'd seen it coming so you could pester him about it.

Chung and Eve share a look for a moment. You can't tell what kind of conversation they're having, but clearly this is a thing they do often. A sudden moment of distress flashes across Eve's face, and she turns to Elsword. "The most hygienically safe place to go for an ear piercing would be a tattoo parlour," she explains, hands folded neatly. "However, this would require you to make a registration."

"And that wouldn't be safe," you mutter under your breath. Oh well. It would have been fun to see Elsword scream in pain from getting a piercing.

"Wait."

The three of you turn to face Elsword. "Rena gave us a list of contacts," he says, twisting to reach his bag. "There's a tattoo parlour on that list."

You step up to him and pull the loose sheet out of his bag. "Cold Cursed Curios," you read, "accessories and bodily modifications run by one Luichel Varela."

"Do you have her address?" Eve asks, pulling her tablet out of her magical coat-skirt. She has a ton of stuff stashed there, including a pair of pristine pistols that you only saw when the sleeves swayed to the side.

Quickly, you tell her the address, postal code and all, and the four of you stick together as you wander back through the city, in search of the tattoo parlour of an insurgent.

* * *

Luichel is certainly… Strange, to say the least.

She herself only has two piercings in each ear, but her arms and back are covered in various tattoos. "Each one is a symbol," she tells you, winking. "What can I get you?"

"Uh." You try to remember what your sister told you about the rebellion, any phrases you can use to convey your message. "I'd like to get my ears pierced."

"That's coolio." She sweeps her hand towards a room in the back. "Do you want to bring your friends along?"

"Yes please," Aisha blurts, grabbing your arm before you can say anything. You glower at her in silence, but her expression says nothing.

"Alright, then," says Luichel, grabbing a plastic bin full of supplies. "Come along."

Her shop is just as eccentric as she is. Earrings, scarves and eyepatches line the walls. A rack of socks of various lengths threatens to tip over as you pass by it, but Luichel just bumps it back into place with her shoulder. Ties and backpacks dangle from the ceiling, along with that looks like a full-body jumpsuit in a light metallic silver.

It's definitely a little squishy, packing five people into such a small room, but as you take your seat on the tall chair, Luichel manages to close the door, allowing Eve and Aisha to sit on the counter across from you.

"So." Luichel dumps the contents of the basket on the table, causing a box of cotton swabs to crash open. "What are you _really_ here for?"

She laughs at your silence, when the four of you exchange distressed glances. "Relax. Red sent you, didn't she?"

You force yourself to focus as she points a finger covered in rings at you. "You're Red's kid brother," she says, smiling. "Elsword Sieghart."

"Yeah," you manage to choke out.

Luichel's eyes sparkle with mischief. "Does your sister know you're getting a piercing?" She asks. "Can't have kids just waltzing in without their guardian's consent, y'know."

You freeze for a moment. You haven't told your sister, or anyone about the piercing-

 _Wait._

"Hey, I'm legally an adult," you tell her. It's too late.

Her grin only grows as she pulls on a pair of latex gloves. "Where did you want the piercings again?" She asks, snapping the plastic against her wrist.

"Uh, earlobes," you manage.

She look around the contents of the bin, picking up a board covered in little studs. "Choose a design."

The costs are all labelled underneath, ranging from five hundred ED all the way up to eight thousand. You dig your nails into your jeans as you eliminate each pair in a silent standoff. Anything above a thousand isn't even an option. You eventually settle on a pair of seven hundred ED studs with little white bubbles on top.

"I can get those printed with a design if you want," offers Luichel. "Ladybug pattern, cat-eye pattern, anything."

She pauses for a moment. "Won't cost anything extra."

You glance at Eve and Chung, who give you a big thumbs up. "Do you have them in just plain black?" You ask. "Or maybe red."

Luichel snorts, getting up and rifling through the cabinet. "I'm permanently out of black. The goth kids drain my stores everyday. I have red, though. Lemme go find it."

She opens the door again and waltzes out. "Prepare for a world of pain!"

Chung's playful grin has disintegrated into a forced smile. Eve remains stoic as ever, but her eyes betray her. And Aisha, sitting in her sparkling new jacket, has her hands cupped over her mouth, unable to speak as Luichel skips back into the room, whistling as she opens a small box and extracts two pristine red studs. She lays them on an alcohol-soaked cotton pad before sitting down beside you.

"Your earlobes are pretty thin," murmurs Luichel, dipping a cotton swab in rubbing alcohol and dabbing it over your earlobes. "It shouldn't hurt too much, but you need to promise me you're going to clean it properly. Otherwise I'm not going to let you get the piercings."

"If you teach me how, I'll do it," you mutter.

"Hmm." Luichel lifts up a black blindfold, stretching the elastic out. "Lemme put this on you so you don't freak out over the, ah, apparatus."

You can't see, but at least you can hear your friends. "You look fabulous, don't worry," snarks Aisha.

There's a sudden collective gasp from all three of them. "Are you really using _that thing_?"  
Asks Chung, his voice wavering.

"Oh please." Luichel's voice seems disembodied in the darkness. "That's why I blindfolded him."

There's a shuffle as she clips it to your ear. "Take in a deep breath," she suggests. "I'll do it on three."

You inhale, then exhale. "Alright."

"One-"

There's a click, then a sharp stinging pain in your ear, before it fades to a constant low throb. "Congrats, that's one," says Luichel, flipping a few switches and taking off your ear before swinging it around to the other side and latching it on. "Huh, no bleeding. That's always good."

"You didn't do it on three!" You squawk, rubbing your legs furiously. Maybe the piercing didn't hurt, but the shock of it caused you to dig your nails into your legs, which _did_ hurt.

"Hate to break it to you kid," she says, "it's the only way you'll trust me with this very large apparatus."

You open your mouth to argue, but the machine clicks again, and the second piercing goes in rather painfully. "Ooh, that one was a little messy," says Luichel. You can practically _hear_ her wincing. "You. Purple girl. Grab me that bottle over there."

There's a shuffle as Aisha hops off the counter and passes the bottle to Luichel. "Uncap it and pour a little into the cap," orders Luichel. "Hopefully it won't get infected."

"Infected?" Your voice goes up an octave. "Uh, correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't infection bad?"

"Yeah, that's why I'm cleaning it." Luichel removes the piercing machine quickly. The world suddenly jolts as she presses the alcohol-soaked cotton swab to your ear. "Should be okay soon."

You grit your teeth and dig your nails into the chair while she cleans out the piercing. "Aaaand done!" The cold pain of the alcohol fades as the warm throb of the puncture rushes in.

There's a giggle, then warm hands wrap around your head and tug on the elastics of the blindfold. "How're you feeling?" Asks Aisha, smiling brightly with the same bold mischief as Luichel.

"A little groggy, thanks," you grumble. "Can I get up now?"

"Sure," says Luichel. You turn around and find her rinsing out a little clip-like thing that must have been what held your ear in place during the piercing. "Purple. Pass him the mirror."

Aisha makes a noise of protest at being called _Purple_ , but she grabs the mirror off the counter and hands it to you like a knife. "Take a look," she says.

Huh. Maybe it's not what you envisioned, but they look cool. The giant block of machine on the swivel bar behind you is a lot more concerning. You resist the urge to turn around and push it away. _Now_ you see why Luichel blindfolded you. Clearly you wouldn't have let her use it while you could see.

"Thanks," you manage, putting the mirror on the counter and pushing off the armrests of the chair to stand up. You shake for two terrifying seconds, but the numbness in your legs passes and the hazy smoke in your eyes fades.

"Right this way, good sirs and madams," says Luichel, opening the door and sweeping one arm outward dramatically. "Register is on the other side."

Ah right. You still need to pay for the piercings. Chung and Eve jump off the counter immediately and scramble out, and you and Aisha barely share a glance before you run after them.

It's too late. Chung stands triumphantly at the register, and sticks his tongue out at you when Luichel hands him back his change. "Not fair," you mutter, sticking your hands in your pockets as you stop next to him.

"Okay. Here's the gear." Luichel hoists a paper bag onto the counter and empties its contents onto the surface. "Box of cotton swabs. Kinda self explanatory. Cleanser liquid." She shakes the bottle around. "If you run out, you can use hydrogen peroxide or isopropyl alcohol to clean it out. I want you to clean the piercings twice at least twice a day for two weeks, then at least once a day for a month afterwards. Do not remove the piercings for at least two weeks."

She points at her own ear. "Knocked mine out with a machine gun, the day after I got them pierced," she says nonchalantly. "Ended up getting it infected. Not fun."

You swallow a lump of fear as her haunting gaze pierces through your mind. "Now, you promised you would clean them properly," she says. "Are you going to keep that promise?"

You nod numbly. "Uh-huh."

" We'll make sure he does," adds Aisha, punching your arm. Lightly.

Luichel's glare melts as she puts on a bright smile. "Okay!"

She passes the paper bag to you, and you tuck it into your bag. The slip of paper with the contacts falls to the ground. "Whoops."

Chung suddenly straightens. "Say, Luichel," he says, voice dropping, "would you happen to know what happened in Altera after we left?"

"Specifically pertaining to a certain Add Kim," offers Eve.

Luichel is silent for a moment. "Okay." She reaches under the counter and pulls up a remote control. "There. Let's stop the video and audio feed for a moment."

She glares each of you in the eye. "We're still placing our own theories," she says quietly, "but the general idea is that Kim is an independent contractor in the rebellion. He works mostly solo, but from what Red's told me, the guy might have single-handedly masterminded the entire rebellion."

You glance over at Eve. Her face is stone cold and yields no signs of emotion, but you get the feeling she's rethinking everything she's ever known.

"After he got caught, it put a major hitch in our plans," Luichel continues. "The original plan was for the assassin by the name of the Asura to escort you two. Kim would have stayed incognito in Altera, fucking up Nasod's empire from the inside until we reached a stable point and we could bust him out. You two would be brought to Feita headquarters and informed of the plan.

"But then Kim got himself caught," she mutters, pounding her first against the counter. "And since he literally has ninety five percent of the rebellion's plans in his hand, he became the highest priority mission. They sent the Asura to bust him out of the Block, and then Red sent you two-" She gestures at you and Aisha. "-to escort our lovely escapees."

All five of you are silent for a moment. "So what's the next step?" Asks Aisha. "Has Add been busted out of jail yet?"

Luichel bites her lip. "Hard to say," she admits. "For both your questions, really. The Asura is a very reliable escort, and I've heard they have personal connections to Kim, so there shouldn't be much of a problem there. As for the next step… Well, _your_ first priority should be getting to Feita."

"Thank you," says Eve quietly, reaching out to hold Luichel's hand for a moment. "At least I have some idea as to what my asshole of a fiancé is."

Luichel gives her a twisted smile, almost like she's in pain. "I pray for them," she says, "and this entire operation."

She reaches under the counter and presses the button again. "Thank you for your patronage," she chirps, switching instantly back to a business voice. "I hope you have a lovely day!"

She winks at you. "Elspeed," she adds, "and don't forget your promise."

The four of you wave your goodbyes, and you awkwardly usher yourselves out of the store. "Well," comments Aisha, "that was certainly an adventure and a half."

"We should probably call it a day and head towards Feita," says Chung, pulling up his tablet to glance at the time. "Ouch. Two sixteen already."

"We should," you echo. "Let's grab some food first, though."

As you wander back through the city towards the market, however, you notice things going wrong. There's screams in the distance. A woman cradling a baby to her chest pushes through the crowd, screaming something about bullets. People are pushing back, away from the market.

You grab the arm of a man scrambling towards a shop. "Hey," you begin, "what's going on?"

Before he can answer, the speakers overhead screech with static, the sound piercing through the city. "Citizens of Elder."

Eve and Chung instantly go stiff, and you know exactly why.

"I am Commander Adam Nasod. Someone here knows the whereabouts of my sister, Evangeline Seraphina Nasod, and you will surrender her to me. There will be repercussions if she is not handed over immediately."

The man groans. " _That's_ what's going on," he says, wrestling himself out of you grip and running off.

Aisha reaches out to touch Eve's shoulder. "Eve? Are you alright?"

She turns around to face the rest of you in silent shock. Her eyes are lifeless and her face is frozen as she says the two words that perfectly sum up your thoughts.

"We're fucked."

* * *

 **A/N: take care of your ear piercings kids, I knocked mine out with a laserquest blaster the day after i got them and they got infected**

 **also fun fact: my friend had to be blindfolded while they pierced her ears**

 **i'm really sorry for the lack of updates, I don't have a lot of homework this semester but my parents went back to china over the break and i spent half my time grocery shopping. commuting in canada is not fun kids bc the bus takes 40 minutes to come.**

 **special thanks to sunshine for keeping me alive with music and diepio over the break tho**

 **next chapter should be a normal update, hopefully i'll get something in for next monday**

 **~Marg**


	8. Chapter 7

SPECTRUM

By MargaritaDaemonelix

Chapter 7

The nightmare always starts in the old classroom.

You come to your limited senses in front of the teacher's desk. He's got his back turned to you in the spinning chair he occupies. "My, my, Raven Cronwell," he sneers, holding a smouldering cigar. "I haven't seen you in a long time."

"It's because I graduated, sir," you feel yourself saying. The therapists in Altera said the best way to combat this nightmare was to take control of it, make it a lucid dream. Yet tonight, you don't think you can hold onto this one. "Nine years ago, actually."

His ugly sneer turns into an ugly laugh as he turns around, and suddenly he's not your high school teacher anymore but Alex, _Alex_ , the dirty bastard that ripped the world out from underneath your feet. "There are some schools you will never graduate from, Raven," he snarls, punching the desk hard enough to leave a dent. "This is one of them."

You instinctively raise your hand when he lunges out at you, even though it feels all too light to be real. Just before you can plow your palm into his face, Alex disappears.

You know what's going to happen next, you try to take your hand back, but you can't, you _can't_ , and blood splashes as your prosthetic hand plunges into Seris' stomach.

Only it's not Seris. In the five years you've suffered with this nightmare, it's always been Seris, but not today. It's Rena. You look up from her now bloodstained blouse, only to find her soft smile glowing in the darkness. "Stop being so afraid," she says in Seris' voice. "I'll always be here for you."

The black ribbon melts out of her hair, which falls down in a bloody curtain before starting to fade away. When you fall to your knees, no longer able to stand, Rena disintegrates in a shower of shimmering lights in your bloodstained hands.

As the last traces of Rena's gentle laughter trickle out of your hands, you awaken with a start and immediately wish you hadn't.

It's been five years since you lost Seris, but this is the only time someone else has taken her place in your nightmare. You let out the breath you didn't know you were holding and sink back into your pillows.

The clock on your wooden nightstand says it's six fifty eight in the morning, meaning you have two minutes left before the alarm will rip your sleep-addled brain to pieces. You reach up to brush a strand of hair out of your eyes, only to realize it's soaked in sweat and plastered to your forehead. There's a telltale twinge at the corner of your eye, the bittersweet feeling of tears.

The doctors in Altera said this wouldn't happen after you took the meds, but you still wake up from time to time after living through that surreal nightmare yet again. Even years after the incident, you find it hard to forget the vivid memory of Seris' tortured scream, the one that usually haunts your nightmares.

Seeing Rena's gentle smile instead is infinitesimally more haunting, because you know she doesn't deserve to suffer like Seris did.

And yet you treat her like she does anyways.

 _Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrring_.

The vibrations of the alarm threaten to shake you out of bed, if the sound doesn't first. "Alright, alright," you mutter, sitting up and reaching over to turn the damn thing off. "I'm getting there, hold on a second."

The room goes silent when you finally get the alarm to shut up. The serene silence lasts for all of two seconds before the door bursts open. "Wake up, Raven!" Yells Elesis gleefully, still clothed in her flame-print pajamas and _still_ sockless. "There's still a ton of stuff to be done!"

"Yeah, yeah, give me five minutes," you grumble, sitting up straight and rolling your shoulders back a few times. "Holy smokes, Elesis, could you consider taking it down a few notches?"

She shakes her head, sticking her tongue out at you. "Sorry, but Feita's early morning waits for no one," she declares, disappearing back out of your temporary room.

You slide your legs out of the covers, reaching out with your toes in the relative darkness for the slippers you literally had to fight Elesis for. There's a terrifying moment when you can't find them, but then your toe hits the slick plastic, and you drag the slippers back to put your feet in.

Maybe the conditions here are better, but you're just as tired in Feita as you were back in Velder. You went to sleep last night with every bit of your body aching from lifting broken walls all day. It's not much different from the woodlot back in Velder.

 _Okay,_ says the little voice in the back of your mind, _but you need to remember that Velder didn't have a bomb dropped on it less than a week ago_.

That's fair. Maybe, had Altera not been after Rena, there wouldn't have been a bomb, meaning Feita wouldn't be in shambles, and-

"Raven?"

You immediately whip around, still tangled in the shirt you're putting on. "It's just me, no need to panic," says Rena, smiling as she brings in a mug of something steaming hot. Like Elesis, she wears pajamas, but hers are covered in tiny pink flowers. "Don't worry, you look wonderful shirtless."

You decide to ignore the latter statement as you accept the mug of tea from her. "Thank you." It smells like fruits and honey, two things you don't get very often in Velder. "Looks great."

She beams at you with that serene smile of hers. "Drink it while it's warm," she advises. "It'll help restore your strength and immune system."

As she leaves you alone in the still-dark bedroom, you take a cautious sip of the tea. Rena's gotten a whole new arsenal of things to put in her herbal teas since coming to Feita. This one tastes like honey and oranges. A tiny bitter twinge as it passes over your tongue tells you there's probably some ginseng in this infusion. You smile as you sit in silence, holding the still-steaming tea in your lap.

… You should probably get up before Elesis comes back in to yell at you.

You down the last of the tea, ignoring the screams of your burning throat, and get up. The world shakes for all of two seconds before coming back to clarity.

There's a light switch on the wall beside you, which you're never going to get used to using. You hit the switch, bringing the room back to life instantly. A small calendar on the desk next to the bed indicates that it's the sixth of April. Great. You'd stopped caring about the date a while ago, but with the two kids out there looking for Commander Nasod's sister and her bodyguard, you're always glaring at a clock, like that'll bring them all back safely.

You flick off the light again before you leave the room with your now empty mug. Elesis' apartment is unusually large for a single person, but then again Altera wanted to accommodate for her age and playful nature while she grew. There's a single bathroom upstairs and one downstairs, but what's really terrifying is the sheer number of bedrooms in this single apartment.

Why, you ask yourself, does Elesis have _four_ bedrooms?

 _She might have lived with someone a while ago,_ whispers the voice in your head.

You suppose it makes sense. You descend the staircase slowly, your plastic slippers flapping at your heels. Rena and Elesis are eating breakfast in the kitchen. You pour yourself another mug of tea and sit down with them. "What's new, general?"

Elesis snorts into her breakfast cereal, now marshmallow-free after Rena picked them all out and tossed them in the trash. "Thanks, dad," she mutters, gulping down a spoonful of milk and cereal. "Elsword and Aisha are just outside Elder City. They should meet up with Lady Eve and Chung shortly."

She pauses to triumphantly scoop up and chomp on a stray marshmallow that Rena must have missed. "In unrelated news," she continues, ignoring the evil eye Rena's giving her, "I have many, _many_ papers to file, so you'll have to excuse me while I suffer upstairs in my room. There's not much else to be done, so if you want to just hang around it should be fine."

You glance at Rena quickly while Elesis lifts the bowl to her lips and chugs down the milk. She seems to be studying Elesis intently, like she's a specimen of some strange species she's never seen before. Somehow her intense stare pierces you, even though she's not even remotely looking in your direction.

Elesis sets down the bowl with a gasp, wiping the milk from her lips with the back of her hand. "And that, ladies and gentlemen," she announces, "is Feita' reigning milk-chugging champion at work. No photos, please, I know I'm fabulous."

"Go get washed up, Elesis," says Rena, amusement tinting her voice. "Either way, we've got a long day to get through. The rendezvous is happening today."

Elesis yelps and scrambles out of the kitchen, hollering something about Elder and tattoos. You sigh as you sip your tea gingerly. It might be good, but it's fresh off the kettle and piping hot. "Kids," you mutter.

Rena giggles and leans back in her seat, sighing contentedly. "I haven't seen Eve and Chung in such a long time," she says wistfully. "It's going to be nice to see them again."

"Were you close to them?" You ask.

"Very." Rena picks up her own tea to take a sip. "Aside from Chung, I was Eve's only friend."

The two of you sit in deafening silence for a while. You have so many questions for her, but you can't ask them all at once. Rena seems to be just as conflicted when you look up at her, for a fleeting moment. "Got something on your mind?" She asks wearily. "You look tired."

You snort. "Don't I always?"

And there it is, the same sweet laughter from your nightmare. "Not always," says Rena, not bothering to try and cover up her smile. "You don't look tired when you're reading the paper in the evenings. In fact, you look like you're at peace."

 _Peace, huh?_ "I haven't really been at peace for five years," you tell her.

Rena's smile never wavers. "Is it because of Seris?" She asks softly. "Because I look just like her?"

There's no denying the shock on your face. "Elesis told me," Rena continues, "before the bomb dropped."

She reaches out across the table to hold your hand. "Raven… I'm sorry if I hurt you," she says quietly. "I know… I've done a lot of hurtful things. The least I could is to apologize and try to mend broken ends with you."

As her words fade off, you close your eyes. You were afraid of this, you've been trying to hide from it, but now that it's happened, you need to address it. Just as her hand begins to slip out of yours, you reach out to hold her hand with both of yours.

"I should be the one apologizing," you tell her, wincing when your voice breaks between the words. "I shouldn't be treating you like shit because you look like Seris."

"... When I was recovering from my accident in Altera," Rena finally says after a long silence, "the doctors told me to tell them a story. Any story of my life from before. It helped with the constant headaches."

"... Do you want me to tell you a story?"

Rena chuckles. "Maybe we can trade," she says. "Tell me about your friends, and I'll tell you about mine."

The corner of your mouth lifts up, just a little. "My friends…"

* * *

Your first friends as a child are Noel and Praus. You grow up as neighbours with Noel, and the two of you were in the same class as Praus in elementary school. Between Praus' shy, serene nature, Noel's brash, childish outlook on life and your (somewhat) levelheaded guidance, the three of you stick together through thick and thin.

For those few happy years, the three of you spend your days lazing around in suburban Velder, ignoring the constant cloud of poverty that looms overhead. Your childhood is most definitely a blissful time. You don't care about anything, only the wonderful days that you spend playing with your friends.

The catastrophe happens when you are eight years old. Everything drowns in chaos for a full ten minutes before the sky clear up again and life begins to return.

A lot of the survivors of the great catastrophe start to come down with what is called the grey cough. The victims are clearly affected by some powerful irritant to their lungs. Their faces turned ashen and their eyes gone blank, they wheeze away into nothingness.

Your mother is the first in your family to succumb to it, dying as she coughs out her life in your father's arms. Her funeral is quick, too quick, because there are so many others waiting to be buried after her.

Your father starts showing the symptoms of the grey cough the day after your mother's funeral. "I'm going to find a new home for you," he says, his voice broken and cracking as he strokes your hair gently. "I can't let you suffer like Amelie did."

And yet, two weeks later, you're alone in the house, standing by yourself in the silence after your father's funeral.

The authorities come and go over the course of the month, putting money in your hands and packing your things into three neat suitcases. The house, they tell you, will be taken care of by your parents' closest friend, until you turn 18, which is when you can claim the house for your own. You have been adopted by someone who can provide for you.

And suddenly you're no longer Raven Corvus but Raven Cronwell, adopted by Officer Henry Cronwell of the Velder Police, an aging man with a kind heart. "My wife and daughter died from the grey cough," he tells you the first day you move in. "I suppose we're kindred spirits in that way. You are my path to peace, Raven."

You are so, _so_ thankful to be blessed with this man's protection.

It hurts to be torn away from Noel and Praus and all the neighbourhood children in the suburbs, but moving to the big city opens your world. You go to school, three years late, and pick up basic math and spelling quickly. Henry(he doesn't expect you call him father, but he insists that Mr. Cronwell is too formal) reads to you in the evenings.

All too quickly, you're off to the best high school Velder has to offer, a private academy with an international program that you've been enrolled in. Whether it's because Henry paid extra or because you just have some innate talent, you're suddenly tossed into a school that's been around since before your parents were born.

There's so many people you've never met before in your class. You quickly become friends with a boy from Elder, whose name is Owen Alexander. Everyone alternates between calling him Owen and Alex. No one really decides on one or the other, even you. The girl who sits behind you is named Hanna. Like Owen Alexander, she comes from Elder-her younger brother Lenphad lives there now. Unlike Owen Alexander, she doesn't look upon the area where you grew up with her nose turned up.

You admit you're not the best pupil in the class, not with your constant conduct reports and detentions. You make up for all the fistfights you get in by helping the janitor out after school and occasionally tutoring students in Sander script, which Henry taught you a little of.

It's after one of these tutoring sessions that you first meet Seris.

You're in the middle of reviewing the future tense and its applications when it starts raining, and you mentally thank yourself for having brought an umbrella.

Then you walk out the door and see her without one.

"Hullo, Raven," says Seris, smiling weakly at you. You've spoken to her maybe twice in your life, despite her being your class president. "Stay safe. It's pouring buckets out there."

"Do you have a ride home?" You ask, opening up your umbrella under the shelter.

She wavers, and you see the hesitation in her eyes. "My father… Should be able to pick me up," she says.

You raise the umbrella over her head. "Here," you tell her, handing her the umbrella. "Take this. You can give it back to me tomorrow or something."

Seris shakes her head wildly. "I can't just take it and let you get sopping wet in this weather!" She exclaims angrily, shoving it back over your head. "I'll find some way to get home."

"How about we both take this umbrella," you suggest, "and I walk you to your house, I leave you at the door, and you go home. Then I take the umbrella and I go home as well. Then we can both avoid walking home in the rain."

She's silent for a moment. "Alright."

You extend your arm up again, and the two of you step into the rain.

It's only a ten minutes walk from the school to Seris' house. She's standing on the front steps of her house, probably being drenched, when she suddenly turns around. "Raven?"

You swallow a lump of dread. "Yeah?"

And then she smiles, and that giant lump in your throat melts away. "Thank you," she says softly, knocking three times on the door and disappearing inside when it opens for her.

You can barely just make out her joyful chittering with her mother before you turn away from the house and walk back home in the rain by yourself.

Henry usually doesn't bat an eye when you come home late from school, but he seems intrigued when he lets you in this time, wincing at the rain you track in. "What's with the smile on your face, Raven?" He asks. "Did you get a good mark back or something?"

You shake your head no, but you feel warm inside.

It's probably nothing. You don't need to address it.

* * *

You blink. Rena is sitting in front of you, still clasping your hands in hers. There's a tiny river of tears streaming down her face. "Raven." Her voice is hoarse, like she's been crying for a long time. "I'm so sorry."

"You shouldn't be." You try to smile at her, in that beaming way that she smiles, but the best you can manage is a wry lift of your lips. "It's not your fault that the revolt failed."

 _And you shouldn't blame her for it_ , you chide yourself mentally.

Rena sniffles and wipes away a tear from under her eyes. "I just… Gosh. You had so many friends, and I've torn you away from them," she says.

You pat her arm awkwardly. "Hey, I've told you about my friends," you remind her. "Now you tell me about yours."

She nods wordlessly, staring blanking at the table. "Five years ago, I woke up in a hospital bed in Altera," she begins. "I was… Surrounded by nurses and maids. When I opened my eyes, everyone started screaming.

"They told me I'd just awakened from a coma." You notice Rena starts to poke and prod at her fingernails, which are caked up with dirt. "And for the first few weeks, I believed it. I ate up all the lies they fed me. They told me I was twenty-three, that I'd been an Alteran maid for five years, that I'd fallen off a balcony and nearly died, that I had no surviving family…" She goes silent for a while. "Lies. And I believed them for a really long time."

Her blank expression turns into a tiny smile. "The first friend I made was the nurse assigned to me," she recalls. "Her name is Aida. She's very short and round and she has really cute dimples when she smiles. She's turning twenty-two this year… I think. I should consider mailing her a package of candy."

The two of you share a quick laugh over this. "Of course, it wouldn't be quite safe, now would it," she chuckles. "Can't risk getting her arrested, the poor thing."

"Maybe when this is all over, you can send her a care package," you tell her. "Tell her about your adventures across Elrios."

"Someday," she agrees. "After we win."

You leave your question unasked, and she leaves it unanswered.

"After a few months being studied by the doctors and a few more in training, I was promoted to become Eve's maid," she continues. "She was… Quiet for the first few weeks. Her brother had just dropped her in a political engagement with an asshole, you see. We didn't really start talking until I made her some Earl Grey and we kinda just sat down and…" She spreads her arms awkwardly. "... Talked.

"Then she introduced me to all the nice things in Altera." Rena blinks a few times. "Like apple fries. And the park with the old peach tree. And the monorail that goes to the shopping district."

Right. There's a shopping district in Altera. You've only ever associated the notion with the purchase of groceries and necessities, but you've seen Elesis stride around (what remains of) Feita with Elsword, looking through stalls of clothing and food. There's more to this action than you remember.

"She introduced me to her bodyguard Chung," recalls Rena. "He was such a tiny boy when I arrived, but oh dear El, he grew so much over the years! He's so protective of her, and she's so supportive of him. I envy how closely knit together they are."

She sighs contentedly, her eyes warm with soft light. "I miss them," she admits quietly. "I miss the summer days when we could sit in Eve's garden. I miss braiding Eve's hair, and Chung's hair. Eve has really nice smooth hair, but it tangles so easily; and Chung's hair is so silky and soft and never tangles, but he never takes care of it.

"I used to braid flowers into their hair," she continues, dropping her gaze to the table. "We'd lie on Eve's swinging chair and Moby and Remy would bring flowers from all around the garden and I'd tuck them into Chung's hair. He has very beautiful golden hair." She smiles to herself. "Eve has silvery hair. I wonder what hair colour their kids will have."

It takes you a moment to process her words. Rena laughs when she sees your expression. "I'm just kidding," she says. "Mostly. They're such cuties and I just want to see them grow up and become the amazing people they're destined to be."

"Do you think they'll grow up like they're supposed to?" You ask. "I feel like the younger ones in the rebellion have been forced to grow up too quickly."

 _Especially Elesis_ , you add mentally. Even if she is a capable young woman now, you'll never forget watching her tear herself away from her home in the name of justice. She was nineteen at the time, the same age as her brother is now.

You worried for her. Now there's four more kids around her age that you'll also have to worry about.

… This is why Elesis calls you dad.

"Sometimes," says Rena. "They were such wonderful friends to me in the few years that I knew them. I kind of miss that feeling."

It hurts to say it out loud. _You feel like such a cheeseball._

But once the words come out, you can't stop them.

"How about we start here?" You offer your prosthetic hand to her. "I know it really isn't my place to ask this, but maybe we could start over as friends?"

Rena is silent for a few terrifying moments. You're about to take your hand back when she reaches across the table and grasps it, shaking your hand twice firmly. "It's a deal," she says, smiling brightly. "And for what it's worth, Raven, thank you. I think… We both really needed to have a talk like this. Just to get stuff off our minds."

She's right, and you hate to admit it.

"Hey, you smiled!" Rena laughs, delighted. "Wow, I can't believe I unlocked the secret achievement _Raven's Smile_ on day one of friendship."

You genuinely feel your lips turning up now, even against your own will. "Ah, yes, but when will I be able to unlock your _Angsty Backstory_?"

"Friend Level 100," the two of you chorus in unison before breaking into light laughter.

There's thumping on the staircase as Elesis comes back downstairs, no longer decked in flame-print pajamas. "Good news," she whoops, pushing her palm off the railing and launching herself in front of the kitchen. "Well, good news and bad news, but no one wants to hear those. The good news is Elsword and Aisha are now in Elder City."

"Then what's the bad news?" Asks Rena, groping around the table for her tea.

Elesis winces. "The bad news is Elsword and Aisha are now in Elder City. And if the information we're getting is accurate, so is Adam Nasod."

She dusts her hands off. You don't know what the powder that drifts from her hands is, but you're not about to ask. "Chop chop, guys, we need to be on the alert at all times," she says, striding out the front door and slamming it shut. A moment later she unlocks it, opens the door and sheepishly puts on her boots before leaving again.

You glance at Rena. She looks like she's trying hard to not to break into laughter, but you can see the worry in her eyes. Adam Nasod is on the loose again, and if Eve and Chung are in danger…

"C'mon," you tell her. "Let's go find Elesis before she gets herself into some sort of trouble."

Rena's expression relaxes immediately, and it relaxes you too.

"Sounds good to me."

* * *

 **A/N: yoooo guess who's (mostly) alive and is procrastinating from doing her comtech project**

 **wow. month long hiatus. this one has to be a new record. i'm sorry.**

 **next chapter is on the way but honestly i have to finish my french presentation first so i might not be able to do next week but we'll see**

 **~Marg**


	9. Chapter 8

SPECTRUM

By MargaritaDaemonelix

Chapter 8

If there's anything you've learned about the mess you're in right now, it's that Ara is a _terrible_ driver.

"Hehe… Do you wanna, like, climb out of the buggy," she suggests, hands still on the wheel, "so I can maybe drive us out of this?"

"Ara," you say, trying to keep your voice steady. "How am I supposed to get out of the buggy when we're _stuck in a mud pit?!_ "

She shrugs casually, stepping a little more on the gas and causing mud to fly into the air. "Should be able to go as soon as I drive over this… Rock." A giant splotch of mud shoots skywards and lands back down much too close to your seat for your comfort. You wince when the collision sends a few _lovely_ bits of mud to land on your pants.

 _Great. Just great._

"Don't worry about it," Ara drawls, stopping the buggy. "If you think about it, Adam Nasod is still after us. We ditch the buggy, we throw him off by half the province."

She reaches under the steering wheel and flicks her wrist. You hear a sharp crunch as she withdraws her hand with the emergency startup button. "We get out of the buggy and skedaddle," she says, leaning out of the buggy and throwing the button into the mud pit. You watch it sink slowly into the murky puddle, the last hope of not walking all the way to the next village."

"Amazing," you manage. "Now what do we do?"

Ara clicks her tongue condescendingly. "Now, now, Add," she says, "don't start panicking just because we're surrounded by mud _and_ we're public enemies numbers one and two. I have gear for this occasion."

 _She has gear for every occasion_ , you mutter internally, but as you've learned over the years, it's best to keep your mouth shut when it comes to sarcastic comments and Ara. You watch as she opens her bag, hoists Eun out and sets her in your lap before rifling through the various compartments.

Eun blinks lazily, like she's just been shaken out of a great nap(which is quite likely) and twitches her ears when you make teasing duck lips at her. "Hello, oh mighty kumiho spirit," you tell her, dropping your voice an octave and a half. "How can I be of service to you?"

She glares at you in her Eun way, the glare that says _foolish mortal. How dare you cross my path_ and sends a shockwave through your body. It's chilling. You wonder how Ara puts up with it.

"Don't tease the fox, Add," Ara scolds, pulling her grappling hook and launcher out of the bag and beginning to wind it up. "Anyways, I hope you don't mind getting across the mud quickly, because that's what we're going to have to do."

She leans out of her side of the buggy and shoots the grappling hook at a nearby tree, where it winds itself against a branch. "All ready to go?" She asks. "Fantastic."

Before you can open your mouth to argue, she pulls herself up the rope, stepping on the steering wheel and hoisting herself onto the roof. "Let's goooooooooo-"

You wince when Ara swings out into the distance, landing just shy of the mud puddle. "C'mon, your turn," she calls, throwing the launcher back to you. "The buggy's gonna sink in soon, let's go!"

"Are you sure this thing can support my weight?" You ask, tugging on it a few times. The rope doesn't snap instantly, but what common sense you have says no, you _will_ land in the mud, and it will be a glorious, messy landing.

"Oh please," Ara scoffs. "If I can scale a building using that while holding a fox and an unconscious person, you can swing across a mud pit."

It's kinda pointless to argue against Ara. You wonder why you tried in the first place.

You climb over the console over to the driver's seat and try to stand up. The buggy shudders under your feet, but you manage to stay upright, inhaling and exhaling as so to not tip over. "Here I go."

You close your eyes and push off the buggy.

For a few terrifying moments, you're weightless, drifting through nothingness. Then Ara's arms wrap around your waist, and you let go of the launcher to tumble to the ground with her.

"... Do you wanna, like," Ara coughs, "get off of my chest? I can hardly breathe."

"Easier said than done," you mutter, prying your legs out from underneath her back. "... We should both consider going on a diet."

"Ha. You? On a diet?" She snickers, rolling out from underneath you and getting up to release her launcher. "I've seen you pig out on Alteran treats enough to know that that's not happening any time soon."

It's a sad truth, and you must face it. "I'm underweight as it stands," you retort. "It wouldn't kill anyone for me to have some cookies once in a while."

Ara laughs, a noise which makes you very, _very_ scared. "You'll like who we're staying with, then," she tells you. "He makes excellent cookies."

She raises a sharp finger into the distance, pointing towards what is presumably Lanox City, and you have no choice but to follow.

After all, the volcanic fields of suburban Lanox are no place for a wandering scientist and a broken assassin.

* * *

"Do we have enough potatoes for soup today, Miss Lu?"

"Uh…" You toss open the pantry door, kneeling down to look at the rack where Ciel stashes potatoes. "There's like, two left. Is that enough?"

Ciel pokes his head out from the fridge. "Ouch. That is not enough." He clicks his tongue, which you've grown to know means he's disappointed. "And we don't have any bacon or mushrooms either…"

"Do we have any milk, though?" You ask. Lanox, for whatever reason, has the _best_ milk when you drink it cold. Unlike in Sander, where all milk was packaged in cartons, Lanox's milk comes in _bags_. There's no more papery taste. It's _glorious._

Ciel closes the fridge and walks over to close the pantry door as well. "Nope," he chimes, "we're out of milk too."

Okay, so maybe collapsing on the floor and dramatically raising your arms to the sky and screaming "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO" at the top of your lungs is a little _extra_ , but Ciel doesn't even bat an eye at your antics anymore. "Relax," he drawls. "It's just milk. We can always get more."

He glances at the time on the oven. "We need to go grab the groceries quickly, Miss Lu," he says. "The market is closing in half an hour."

You salute him from your seat on the floor. "Aye aye, captain."

Over the past month in Lanox, you've fallen into a strange pattern of life, one nothing like your past. You wake up every morning to the sweet scent of fresh pancakes and rich butter, or bread smothered in chocolate ganache, or warm fruit compote that melts in your mouth. You spend your days running around with Ciel, helping him with his various jobs. With your previous career as the Head Librarian, you make a wonderful bookkeeper for any financial affairs.

This morning you got up to the scent of buttery crepes drifting through the air, with just the right touch of chocolate and hazelnut. Despite your differences in background, both you and Ciel enjoy a nice cup of tea in the mornings. Half his pantry is just different types of tea-Ceylon, Earl Grey, Hamel Breakfast, chai from Bethma and rosebuds from Velder.

You run to your room quickly. Technically it's Ciel's room, but he's left his nice bed to you. You didn't know he had a sofa bed until very recently, but the tiny living room is cleared out enough for him to open it up. Due to his height, however, his feet dangle off the edge. You've tried to convince him to let you sleep there instead, but he takes none of it.

You snatch the blue hoodie off its hook as you run in. Ciel is right in some ways about his sister's spirit living on in it. There's a gentle scent of chrysanthemums that comes out of the hoodie, no matter how many times you dirty it and Ciel washes it. You toss it on over your shoulders as you rejoin Ciel in the living room.

"Dear El, you need to comb your hair," he mutters, leaning across the hallway into the bathroom and grabbing a comb and two hair elastics off the counter. "You can't go out in this condition."

You sigh as he digs his fingers into your hair. "Admit it, Ciel," you tell him, "you just want to dress me up in cute things like a porcelain doll."

"You can dress yourself, Miss Lu," he chides, comb popping through a knot. "But yes, I think you would look cute in more doll-like clothes. Perhaps more pastel colours."

You stick out your tongue in defiance, but you stay otherwise silent as Ciel puts your (ridiculously curly!) hair up in two pigtails. You used to hate pigtails in your last life, but now that you've got someone who actually knows what he's doing to do your hair, you can appreciate the effort.

It makes you look just cute enough to be deadly, you think.

It's early April in Lanox, warm enough that Ciel has ditched his winter coat, but still a little windy. Lanox's thermal season has just begun, which means the ground is constantly going to be warmer than the sky for the rest of the spring and summer. You wear a hoodie to protect yourself from the wind, but it's definitely warm enough to wear shorts in the heat of the ground.

You suppose it comes with living next to a dormant volcano. Hopefully Mount Azure doesn't erupt anytime soon.

While you skip across the sidewalk, dancing past everyday people, Ciel walks in silence, glaring at every person that passes by. You know he has his fair share of nemeses and various enemies, but glaring menacingly at every person who passes by on the road is a little unnecessary. You pass by familiar buildings on the overground-Pesop's shop, the nice but overpriced grocery shop, the mayor's house.

This time, Ciel lets you skip ahead to knock on the side door of the old temple. The young woman who answers the door smiles gently at you. "Welcome back, Lucia. Are you having a good day?"

It still gets you flustered to be called Lucia, as much as you hate to admit it. "I'm doing great, thank you!" You beam at her. "Is Elia in? We'd like to come in for a hearing."

The way she laughs is so motherly and gentle. "He's not in right now," she says, "but you can come in to wait a while for him if you'd like."

Ciel finally catches up. "Yes, that would be nice," he tells her. "Thank you, Ignia."

She dips her head respectfully. "Mr. Lucas."

The door swings open, and the two of you slip past her quickly into the dark temple. "Okay, Miss Lu," says Ciel, his voice echoing in the narrow stairwell, "run me the shopping list again."

Two months ago, you would have thought of something as reciting a shopping list as child's play. After your… _Incident_ , your memory tends to fog up a little at times. There was a day when you were washing dishes and you couldn't remember what your mother's name was.

(It's Elenora Sourcream, as Ciel found out by doing a quick search on his computer.)

Little things like memorizing song lyrics, or a shopping list, tend to help your memory catch up to your body. Some things you've forgotten completely, like the ISBN code of your favourite book, and exactly what 284.17 was in the Dewey Decimal system, but they aren't as important as the big details, most of which you still remember.

"Uh… We need to get milk," you mumble, trying not to trip over your own feet as you grab tightly onto the railing of the staircase. "And potatoes. And bacon."

"There's one more thing," says Ciel, pulling you up by the shoulder right before you tumble down the stairs. "It's not a vegetable."

You snort. One of the first debates you and Ciel got into since you arrived in Lanox had something to do with whether mushrooms could be considered vegetables or not. As someone with no culinary experience, you lost miserably. "Mushrooms," you tell him.

"Excellent." He grabs your hand right as the two of you get to the bottom of the stairs. "Hold on tight. I don't want to lose you in this crowd."

You roll your eyes, but you admit it is a little terrifying being the shortest person in the underground market. Ciel likes this one better than the one above ground because it carries a bunch of supplies and foods that the normal grocery store doesn't. Freshly-baked pizza and coconut curry dance in the air around you as you step into Little Lanoxia, Lanox's underground "black" market.

Ciel has informed you that such a black market does in fact exist, but its vendors don't congregate here. The people down here are friendly, familiar, and, most importantly, they are great chefs. The people down here speak cuisine. There's a lady from Bethma here, the one one who makes coconut curry soup, and a chef from Hamel who makes amazing Roman pizza.

You feel like you could just dance forever in this marvelous secret market, mere footsteps from the much better known overground market. It's one of the things you always hated about being stuck in the library all day, no matter how much you held your beloved library to your heart. The permanent food ban in the library meant that even you couldn't sneak fresh bread into your office.

"Ciel, I'm going to go look around, 'kay?" You tell him, wrestling your hand out of his and nearly pulling out your hand out of your glove.

He seems mildly concerned. "Alright, but don't go off too far," he decides. "If someone tries to hurt you, what do you do?"

"Yell out for help," you respond, "and if that doesn't make them stop, I beat them into oblivion."

"And if you ever can't find me in the crowd?"

"Look for Steel, wait with her until you finish doing… Whatever."

"Good." He reaches into his pocket, withdrawing his wallet. "Don't blow all the money on candy this time."

You take the hundred bucks with a pout on your face. "Fine."

Even as you turn away from him, you mentally run numbers. It's what you've been doing your whole life, what you've been forced to do your whole life. A hundred dollars can get you a hundred grams of bulk candy-maybe more if you can pull your cute act on the vendor. You could also spend it on a slice of Roman pizza(they have artichokes today) or some garlic knots.

A familiar hand waves out to you in the midst of the chaotic market. "Hey, Miss Lu!"

Your smile this time is genuine as you face Steel and run over to her stand. "Hullo, Steel! How's business?"

If anything, she looks exhausted after a long day, and if she's had to do as much as you think she has, it would be for good reason. "Too much business," she admits. "Between all the mess in Altera lately and the uprising in Elder, I've got a mile-long list of orders to complete. Speaking of which, how are your gloves doing?"

You flex your fingers instinctively, giving her a open grin. "They're fantastic, thank you! The spikes haven't come in handy yet, but, ah…" You spread your arms sheepishly. "Let's hope I won't have to use them on anyone anytime soon."

She gives you an equally toothy grin. "Eh, you never know. If you ever need any adjustments or anything, give me a holler, gotcha?"

You nod in agreement, and she laughs and reaches out to clap you on the shoulder. You may be tiny, but so is she, and it's one of the few things that the two of you have bonded over. "I need to start packing up shop," she says, "but I'll see you around!"

The two of you share a quick embrace before you turn away from her. As soon as you leave, a tall woman in a white coat rushes over to speak to her. You can't help but notice the little bloody flowers along the edge of her otherwise untainted coat.

This is the type of person that Ciel always tells you to avoid confrontation with- one of the people from his world. While you disappear into the crowd, however, the woman's words catch up with you.

" _Steel, honey, would you happen to know who that girl there was?"_

" _Oh, Miss Lu? She's chill. Why?"_

" _Mmm. I've been looking for her."_

Something jams in your throat. This might just be someone from _your_ world. Thoughts of Karis being on the warpath and _assassins_ begin to crowd your mind as you push through the stalls, ducking below banners and outstretched arms. People are closing up shop and _you can't find Ciel and you can't trust Steel_ , so you have no choice but to run.

There's two exits of the market, the stairwell which you descended from and the emergency exit in the back. You rush to the emergency exit, only to find it barred. _Door is broken_ , the sign says. _Please use main entrance_.

It takes all your strength to not scream profanities at the door. Instead, you whip around to look for the other exit.

And there she is, the woman in white, standing like an angel of death over you. For all her bright jacket and whatnot, she acts quite like a shadow, silent and deadly. "Hullo, Miss Lu," she says sweetly. "It's been a while since we last met."

Her gold eyes are really unsettlingly wide, like you're a specimen she's waiting to tear apart with her _terrifying long nails dear El how did you not notice that earlier_.

You force yourself to face her, though your fingers are itching to pull on the latch that releases the spikes in your gauntlets. "Should I know you?"

She gives you a wry smile. "... Honestly, with what you've been through, I wouldn't expect you to. I mean, the last time we _officially_ met, I was maybe twelve, and you perhaps in your early twenties."

So the years while you were Vapour's assistant. She's known you before. Clearly she's not messing around. "Who are you, and what do you want with me?" You demand, taking a defensive stance.

The woman blinks, seemingly in confusion. "Gosh, Miss Lu, I don't mean-"

And then a good many things happen, all at once, too much chaos for you to process.

* * *

"And here's the last of your shawls, ma'am," you murmur, folding it neatly in your arms and laying it on what remains of the table. "We're awfully sorry about ruining your stand."

The elderly woman gives you a gentle smile. "Oh, don't worry about it. This isn't the first time a fight has broken out down here. The time Potpourri and Amelia started accusing each other of stealing wares, now that was a _fight!_ "

Her eyes sparkle as she picks up the shawl from the table. "Although it is the first time that someone's thrown a fox onto my table," she chuckles.

You dip your head gently as you walk away, turning to where Ciel, Ara and Lu are sitting, bandaging their wounds. "Ara," you begin softly, "what have I said about being unnecessarily creepy?"

"I wasn't being unnecessarily creepy this time!" She yelps, throwing her hands up in defense.

From beside her, Lu nods in solemn agreement. "It was just me being paranoid this time," she admits sheepishly. "Because Ciel was running me through stranger danger."

"It's for your own good, Lu," he chides, wrapping one last bandage around Ara's arm and standing up. Damn, if anything in this market is unnecessary, it's this guy's height. "And on that subject, I'm sorry, Miss Haan. I tend to get very overprotective of Miss Lu."

Ara gives him a childish grin. "Ditto. Sorry about throwing my fox at you."

You glance over at Eun, who is curled up in a basket that the scarf lady lent you. She looks vaguely traumatized, and frankly you don't blame her.

You and Ara had been looking through bulk candy (a hundred bucks for a hundred grams) and garlic knots (twelve apiece) when Ara had suddenly run off, likely having seen someone. After paying for your pound of gummy cola bottles and juice berries, you had wandered around looking for Ara when you found her speaking to Lu.

The truth of the matter is that you had no clue what Lu even looked like until Ciel launched himself into Ara, knocking her away from Lu.

After they'd crashed into the scarf lady's stand, Ara had screamed something ugly in Sanderian that you _really_ don't want to think about. You suppose she'd tried to rifle through her bag, probably looking for another one of her homemade surprises, found nothing, and scooped the sleeping Eun out and threw it at Ciel. The sheer shock factor of Ara throwing her _fox_ of all things made Ciel panic, and after catching Eun against his chest some kind of awkward kick-battle went down.

Eventually you grabbed Ciel as Lu and Steel managed to subdue Ara, and it all led to the four of you sitting against the wall while Ignia considered whether or not to ban you and Ara from Little Lanoxia altogether. She decided not to in the end, but gave the two of you a fair warning.  
Steel left much earlier in the aftermath of the fiasco, but not without laughing her head off first. " _Iconic_ ," she'd gasped, one hand on Ara's arm and the other slung over Lu's shoulder. At some point during Ignia's lecture she'd packed up her bags and gone home, but not without nearly falling off the staircase from laughing too hard.

Ara and Lu seem to have bonded in the twenty-odd minutes since the mess happened. Apparently Lu's parents worked a lot with Ara's parents when both of them were younger. At one point Lu even might have babysat Ara. It's a lot to wrap your head around, and you suppose the tall fellow feels the same.

"So," Lu chirps, "do you two have somewhere to stay tonight?"

Ara's eyes gleam with dangerous light. "Actually, we're kinda on the run from the Alteran government right now," she says. "Do you guys mind us bunking with you for a while?"

Ciel issues his firm "no" just as Lu blurts out a very high-pitched "YES".

"Please," you toss in for good measure. "Look, I know it's not very safe right now to say this, just in case this place is bugged, but-"

"We're independent contractors working with the rebellion in Feita," Ara interjects, bringing her voice down an octave. "I just busted this idiot out of the Block in Altera like last night. We're pretty much stranded right now."

Lu turns to Ciel, with what must be huge pleading eyes. "Cieeeel," she says sweetly, "be a dear and let these poor unfortunate souls stay with us, wouldja?"

"Miss Lu, with all due respect, our apartment is tiny," Ciel reminds her. "And we're not exactly… _Affiliated_ with the rebellion, per se."

"If I may make bold as to speak," says Ara, reaching out a hand to them, "Add and i were the ones who were able to extract Lu from the Alteran experimentation compound where she was being held."

You snort. "Extraction was mostly me," you tell them. "Ara stole a motorcycle and ferried you to Lanox and dropped you off with tall boy here."

Ciel gives you what can only be described as a disturbed glare. "Excuse me?"

"Wait, wait, wait," says Lu, shaking her head, "that was _you two?_ Why did you drop me off with Ciel, of all people? Like, I get that he makes great cookies, but he's also terrible at being a butler."

He turns to her now. " _Excuse me?_ "

Ara laughs dryly, and it takes you a minute to catch how coarse her voice has become. "Let's just say I knew he was perfect for the job from prior… Meetings."

Ciel narrows his eyes at her. "Alright then. If we've met before and you're still alive, clearly I can trust you… at least for now. And Lu has vouched for you, which means…"

Lu leaps up and wraps her arms around Ara's neck. "Sleepover time!"

"I only have two beds though," Ciel frets. "So some of us are going to have to double up."

Ara somehow manages to carry Lu with one arm while raising the other. "Lu and I can share," she offers, a huge grin plastered to her face. "Gosh, Lu, you've grown a lot since the last time I saw you…"

As the two of them continue babbling while they wander through the market, you walk up behind Ciel, clapping a hand to his back. "Yo," you begin, "Ara said you could make great cookies?"

His expression relaxes when he hears the word cookies. "Oh, but you'll have to fight Miss Lu for them," he snickers. "Let's go catch up with them before I have to bake another bushel of cookies."

Somehow, you sense that fighting Lu for cookies would be a death sentence. You quickly rush up the stairs after Ciel, hoping that you can get to the cookies in time.

* * *

 _01:28 am, Lanox City_

There's a squeaking noise that shakes you out of your sleep.

It took a long time to fall asleep from your position on the floor. Ciel is either a really messy sleeper or just faked it to kick you off the sofa bed. Either way, you've been on the floor for the past two hours or so, and it's actually starting to get kind of comfortable.

You try to ignore the squeaking at first. Maybe Lu is just coming out of the room to go to the bathroom. You groan internally at the thought of her turning on the light.

Except she doesn't. The light doesn't come on. And the squeaking doesn't stop.

You hold your breath, trying to stay as still as possible. Beyond the sound of Ciel's soft snoring, you can hear the rhythmic squeaking every few seconds. And from your back against the floor, you can feel the footsteps that are creating the noise.

Someone is sneaking across the house.

Again, your mind goes to Lu first. Maybe she's sneaking out for a midnight snack of _the precious cookies dear El what if she eats them all_ or a drink of water. And then again, she might just be going to the bathroom.

And then again, the gentle purr that can only belong to Eun doesn't really reassure you.

 _Whoever this is,_ you decide, _needs to be stopped. Two can play at the sneaking game._

You open your eyes in the darkness, wincing as the darkness crashes in on you and your eyes try to adjust to the lighting. In the dim light, you manage to reach onto the coffee table for your phone.

Even though the lighting systems here are shit, you manage to connect to them. Holding your breath, you wait for the footsteps to get louder, for the culprit to get closer.

At the very peak moment, when you can feel their every footstep in your fingertips, you turn on all the lights at once.

Ciel snorts and sits up straight in bed, his hair falling all over his face. "Wha-"

He goes silent as you are as he focuses on what you're focused on.

Ara smiles sheepishly, wig on head and knife in hand.

"Ehehe… You caught me."

* * *

 **A/N: ohohoho... We've caught you Ara... now stop being a sneaky mcsneaker**

 **also i finished in two weeks this time yayyyy maybe i can finally reset to my bimonthly update schedule**

 **This chapter brought to you by After the Rain's Anti-Clockwise**

 **EDIT: so apparently my emergency upload at like 10:30 last night didn't work so uh emergency upload on Tuesday morning**

 **~Marg**


	10. Chapter 9

SPECTRUM

By MargaritaDaemonelix

Chapter 9

You had never felt sheer shock until that point, that moment in time that time had stopped.

As Adam Nasod's voice fades out over the loudspeaker, only to churn up again, Eve turns around and grabs your shoulders roughly. "This can't be happening," she says, her eyes pleading. "It _can't_ be."

"Eve," you tell her, placing your hands on hers, "stop panicking."

"Chung-"

"Stop panicking," you repeat. "If he can't catch us, we're still safe. You got me?"

Her frantic pulse seems to slow down a little as she takes a few deep breaths. "Okay," she says. "We've got this."

Elsword clears his throat. "Uh, if you guys got this, we should probably start running," he suggests. "Because if my hearing's not being shitty, the storm is moving in our direction, and it's coming fast."

Aisha turns to you all wildly. "Luichel's shop is in the other direction," she says. "Maybe she can help us run."

Eve straightens up. "Yes," she says. "That is a good idea. As long as we can get as far as possible away from Elder, preferably to a place my brother cannot track us down, we will take any assistance we can get. Right now, our priority is to run."

She grabs your hand tightly, and before you can do anything, she takes off like a rocket, rushing in between stalls and pushing through people. Elsword and Aisha help something incomprehensible as they follow behind you, occasionally melting back into the crowd before rejoining you in your flight.

Some of the people you push past recognise you. One such woman screeches Eve's full name out, but Aisha _accidentally_ slaps her with the back of her hand as she rushes by. Overhead, Moby and Remy duck between banners and buntings as they try to keep just ahead of their mistress.

There it is, Luichel's shady little shop. Eve crashes through the doors, nearly knocking into a rack of socks, and dragging you behind her. "Luichel," she blurts out. "We're so fucked."

Luichel looks up from her crossword puzzle, taking her feet off the counter. "What happened?"

"Adam Nasod happened," says Aisha, running in with Elsword in tow. "Apparently three people have already been killed while running away."

"By the guards?" Luichel demands, tossing her book aside and swinging her legs over the counter.

"No." Elsword's expression looks steely. "By Adam Nasod himself."

Luichel bites her lip. "Ouch. Oh, that puts a turd in our plans and I don't like it."

Eve laughs dryly. "Who does?"

Ignoring her, Luichel reaches behind the counter and pulls up a cell phone. "I'll call who I need to," she says. "Right now, I want the four of you to run to my uncle's place."

You freeze. "Your uncle?"

"Yes, my uncle," she snaps, herding the four of you to the back of the shop. "His name is Ernest Hoffman. He's the mayor of this city. He'll know what to do, now _go!_ "

She tosses open the door of the room where Elsword got his piercing. There's no door in sight. "I'm going to close this door and lock it," she dictates. "Once you hear the click, that's your cue to open that cabinet-" She points at the one under the sink- "-and get the hell out of here. Close the door after you go. My uncle's house is three streets down. Seventy-three Watson Crescent. If you kids get yourselves caught, I will _haunt your asses._ "

And suddenly all four of you are thrown in that tiny room again, the lights go out, and there's a click at the door. "The cabinet," urges Aisha, pushing Elsword aside so she and Eve can open the doors. "Shit. I can't see. Elsword, give me some light."

Elsword obliges, pulling his phone out of his pocket and turning on flashlight mode. Before he can stick it into the cabinet, Moby grabs the phone in his beak, holding it out to reveal a small trapdoor at the back of the cabinet.

"I can reach the latch," whispers Eve, reaching into the back. There's another small click, and she pull the door aside, flooding the room in sunlight.

" _Who owns this shop?"_

" _Me. My name is Luichel Varela. I've owned this shop for three years."_

The four of you freeze. "We need to get going," says Aisha frantically. "If they see the light from this room, all of us are busted."

"Eve, you need to go first," you tell her. "Your brother's hell-bent on catching you. You need to get to safety more than any of us."

She nods wordlessly, ducking into the cabinet. "You might want to take off your shoulder pads," she whispers as she leaves, her birds zipping out after her.

Shit. She's right. Elsword turns rapidly to you, immediately beginning to search your back for the latches. "Aisha, go with her. I'll help Chung with the gear."

"But-"

"Don't worry, I've got this," he hisses. "Besides, you're listed as dead in the system. Not a good thing to be caught with."

"... Alright," she says. "Elspeed."

And then she's gone too, disappearing into the light. "Els, are you done with the latches?" You whisper as Elsword furiously prys at your shoulder pads.

"I think I've got it?" The whole bunch falls off your shoulders with a clatter. "There we go."

" _What was that noise?"_

" _Probably one of the carts or something. Oh, wait, this box just fell."_

" _No, it was louder than that. And it didn't come from over there."_

You whirl around to grab the two pieces. "We need to get going," you tell him. "You go first."

He takes the shoulder pads from you. "Be careful with your shoes."

 _Yiiiiikes._ Why do you always carry so much heavy gear with you?

As Elsword disappears with your shoulder pads, you crawl over to the hole under the cabinet and peer out. He seems to have rolled safely onto the grass, about a metre down. "Get going," snaps Aisha.

You duck back out and push your Destroyer out of the hole. It lands on the grass with a thud. "Alright, I'm coming down," you whisper.

There's no other way that you can close the cabinet doors, so you back up and begin to nudge your feet into the cabinet. You have to crawl back enough to grab the doors, so you can close them and keep backing out.

Except that's all just a theory. Your feet are virtually too big to get out more than one at a time. You stick one leg back out of curiosity and nearly drop to the ground when it doesn't land on anything. "Chung," Elsword calls out, "other leg!"

"I can't," you whisper. "I need to get the doors."

You shuffle your other leg back a little at a time until you can fit your entire body into the cabinet. From the glass window in the doorframe, you can see the Alteran soldier nearing the door. You're running out of time.

You take a breath, shuffle your leg a little farther back, and fall completely flat on your face as two pairs of hands grab your feet and pull.

At the last second before you disappear out the hole, you grab the cabinet doors and slam them shut as the door on the other side begins to open.

You tumble onto the grass with Elsword and Aisha as Eve locks the trapdoor silently behind you, putting her ear against the wall. "They're opening the cabinet door," she says, her voice quavering. "Guys… Did we just give the Alteran government enough evidence to convict Luichel of treason?"

"We can't believe that," Aisha says, coughing. "We need to get going before they catch us out here."

"Moby, Remy," Eve commands. The birds fly to her side. "Grab Chung's shoulder pads and let's get going."

They land on your shoulder pads. You press the centre release latch before they take off, allowing them to each take a segment. "Let's go."

You take a deep breath as you sling your Destroyer over your shoulder and look around the corridor you seem to have landed in. It's really just a tiny gap between two rows of buildings. There's enough room between the ones in front of you to slip through and get to the other side. "Here."

The four of you shuffle awkwardly through the gap-first you, then Eve, then Aisha, then Elsword. There's barely enough room to breathe. Just overhead, Moby and Remy hover with your shoulder pads, occasionally smacking them into the buildings and calling out what seems to be their form of encouragement.

As you near the edge of the buildings, you stick your face out and peer around. The street seems to be in a similar state of chaos as everywhere else; people are running rampant and there's a constant stream of screaming. "We just need to cross this street," you recall, helping Eve and the others out, "and then two more. Seventy-three Watson, was it?"

"Yeah," says Aisha, brushing off the front of her hoodie. "Cross quickly. I'd rather not be run over by rampaging humans."

Out of habit, you reach towards Eve, your hand skimming past hers. She turns ever so slightly to you. "We'll be fine," she tells you, grabbing your hand as if sensing your anxiousness. "I believe in Luichel, and for that reason alone I believe we can do this."

Her voice is still soft with fear, but there's a steely look in her eyes that tells you she's ready to go.

You turn to Elsword, then to Aisha. "You guys ready?"

"Yup," Elsword chimes.

"There's a gap over there," Aisha points. "On three."

"Count them out, please," Elsword mutters, shouldering his bag. "I'd rather not deal with any more surprises."

"Alright. One."

You brace yourself out to run. "Two," says Eve, voice steady and cold.

The gap widens, just for a second. "Three!" You hiss, taking off as fast as your legs will take you.

At first, it seems like the four of you will get through the gap. For a fleeting moment, you actually think the stampede might just stop. Then the bodies start crashing in, and you pull your friends behind you so you can bar away the rushing flow with your Destroyer.

Then it's over, and you're free, blinking away the afterimages and shrugging your now sore shoulder. It kinda irks you to not have your shoulder pads, but you'd rather move quickly. Even with just your bag, your shoulders sag and you can feel your back sinking in on you.

Elsword raises his hand, from his perch on a windowsill. "I would rather not do that again," he says, pressing his palms together. "That was not a pleasant experience."

"No shit, Sherlock," mutters Aisha.

"Speaking of Sherlock," Eve interjects, "we're almost at Mayor Hoffman's house. We should get going."

She looks up, narrowing her eyes for a moment before relaxing. "There's Moby and Remy," she says. "Come down this instant. I don't want the soldiers to shoot you out of the sky."

They descend gracefully, dropping your gear at your feet. "Shoulder pads on, quickly," she commands. "We may need to prepare for a fight."

"Chung," says Elsword, picking one of the pieces up. "Can I use this as a shield? Just in case?"

Your decision is instant. "Yes. You two aren't armed, so you'd better take those."

Aisha looks like she has something more to say, but she bites her lip and holds her words in as Elsword hands her the other chunk of your shoulder pads. "Eve, you should probably get your pistols ready," you suggest. "Better than nothing."

The four of you take off again, ducking between houses and under clotheslines. A few times you hear a squawk as either Moby or Remy get hit in the face with an article of clothing. It's not much of a dignified way to get hit in the face. You guess you can relate, even if they're birds.

As you pass by the houses, each of you go off on a mental counter. Fifty nine. Sixty one. Sixty three. Sixty five. Sixty seven. Sixty nine. Seventy. Seventy one.

"Here," Eve yells, dragging all of you towards seventy three. You can only hope that someone indoors is willing to help you.

Even before she can lay a hand on the door, it flies open, revealing a middle-aged man in a respectable business suit. "Luichel's runaways, I presume," he says, smile soft yet visibly worried. "Follow me. We don't have much time if we want to bundle you off."

You follow him into the house, after he locks the door securely. You notice that he has not just one, but three different locks, all of which he bolts securely. "My name is Ernest Hoffman, as I'm sure my niece has told you," he says. His voice is very quiet, like he's afraid of something. "I am the current mayor of Elder City's central district."

He drops his voice even lower. "I'm not technically affiliated with General Sieghart, but my niece is a friend of hers," he admits. "I suppose it's my obligation to provide you all some sense of safety in my city, after all. Especially you, Lady Nasod."

Eve allows herself the ghost of a smile. "Just Eve is okay, Mr. Hoffman," she says. "Please instruct us on how to escape this city."

Hoffman nods. "Right. Come this way."

He leads you into the inner room. "Commander Nasod's forces will be arriving soon, if my niece's calculations are correct," he notes. "Do any of you know how to drive?"

You exchange a worried glance with Eve. There was never a need to drive while you lived in Altera. Everything you went to was either in the Core, or there were automated cars that brought you there.

"I can drive," Elsword pipes. "I've been driving for two years… I think. I can probably drive."

"Good," says Hoffman, pulling a set of keys out of his pocket and wrestling off the car key. "Damage it as needed. Your first priority is to get out of this city. Your second priority is to not run over any innocent people."

"Can do."

"Secondly, I need to show you the right route out of the city," says Hoffman, taking a book off a shelf and opening it. There's a map of Elder City inside, which he removes.

"You're on Watson Street right now. Back out of the driveway and turn left," he says, marking the path with a pen. "Go down Undomiel and turn right onto Demian. Keep right on Demian and you'll get onto the freeway. Get off the freeway at exit three hundred, which should bring you to Wilder Avenue. Turn left and stop the car when you see the forest."

His eyes turn cold and steely. "Get into that forest," he says, "and don't you dare look back. Find the tunnel to the waterway. Luichel has a contact there waiting for you. He will lead you on the road to Bethma. Got it?"

Elsword shakes his head. "Nope."

Aisha pushes her way in front of him. "I can handle it," she says. "I have a near-photographic memory. Besides, I grew up in Bethma. I'll lead the way."

"Good," says Hoffman, clearly pleased. "Lady Eve, Mr. Seiker, since you two are armed, you will need to hold off any incoming Alteran police. It may do you good to reassemble your armor, Mr. Seiker."

You realize you're still standing without your armor. Sheepishly, you take the pieces from Elsword and Aisha and click them together. Eve turns behind you to help you buckle them on.

"I think that's all for now." He opens a door that you had thought was a bathroom. Instead, it leads to some sort of garage, where you see an older-looking car standing in the darkness.

"Elspeed to you all," says Hoffman, his smile peaceful. "Lady Eve, may you wreak havoc upon your brother."

She pauses in the doorway for a moment. "Thank you," she says. "Elspeed to you as well."

You're the last one to go because your armor took such a long time to assemble. "Elspeed," you echo. "Stay safe, Mr. Hoffman."

He dips his head respectfully as you close the door, blocking him out of the darkness.

"Yo, Chung," says Elsword, leaning out of the open window, "you mind hitting that button on that shelf there?"

You look around, eventually finding the grey button he must have been talking around. It takes a few tries because of your gauntlets, but you hit the button, causing the garage door to rise slowly, flooding the garage with light.

The car door opens. "Get in," yells Eve, struggling to hold onto her birds. "No, Moby! No flying!"

You get the message. As Elsword puts the key in the ignition, you throw yourself into the backseat, smacking your Destroyer into the car door in the process. "Go!" You screech, slamming the door shut.

Elsword puts the gear in reverse, sending the car shooting backwards into the street. "Oh yeah," says Aisha over Eve's terrified scream, wisely strapped into her seat in shotgun, "you might want to put your seatbelts on. Cherry's a terrible driver."

"Well, I wouldn't say a _terrible_ driver," says Elsword. "Maybe just a _reckless_ driver, but I'm not _terrible_. I haven't hit anyone yet, and I always get there on time."

"How about you get us there in one piece," Eve shrieks, gripping the back of Aisha's seat so tightly that her gloves are starting to rip. "And maybe give us some warning next time!"

"I make no promises," yells Elsword, continuing to tear through the streets at what feels like sonic speeds. "Oh shit, hold on!"

He grabs the steering wheel and the car swivels around, seemingly going weightless for a moment before settling back down. You, Eve and the birds all scream as the backseat suddenly becomes very crowded. "Hold Moby!" Eve screams, shoving her peregrine falcon into your hands.

You look Moby in the eye. He looks quite traumatized, and frankly you don't blame him. Elsword's driving is pretty traumatizing.

"Alteran police cars, six o'clock!" Aisha screeches. "Pass the birds, I'll hold them!"

Quickly, you and Eve pass Moby and Remy to the front seat and begin to load your weapons. You regret tying your duffel bag so tightly. It's hard to open, as you fumble on the drawstrings and extract a single rocket canister to load into your Destroyer.

As you flip open the back of the Destroyer and shove the canister in, you realize you don't have a way to shoot it out. You turn around and find only glass.

 _Glass._

"Eve, duck!" You yell.

She gets the message and curls into a ball in the corner as you punch the glass in the back. A hole the size of your fist shatters against the glass, which is just large enough for you to stick the muzzle of your destroyer through.

In what remains of the fractured glass, you can see the standard Alteran police cars that follow you like a plague. "Firing right now," you yell.

"Chung, no!" Eve shouts. "There are people there!"

She's right. There's a school right next to where you were about to send your rocket. You grit your teeth and twist in your seat, aiming away from the school. "Elsword, we need to lure them away from the city!"

"Hold onto your horses, we're getting on the freeway," Elsword yells, turning the car around again. Aisha screams in shotgun as the birds fumble around in her lap, but you don't have time to focus on that.

You hit the button on your shoulder pads, and take a deep breath as the visor flips up to enhance your sight once more. You've now got the entire train of Alteran police cars as your target.

"Clear of innocents!" Aisha yells.

You pull the trigger.

Elsword screams in glee as the explosion behind you rocks the car beneath its wheels. The birds and Eve scream in complete and utter terror. Aisha screams as Remy sends a wing into her face. You're tempted to join the harmony, but with your visor pressing on your lips, you can barely even open your mouth.

There are no longer any Alteran police tailing you. Eve wordlessly pulls you back into your seat. Your back and chest start to hurt as you sit back down after being twisted in such an awkward position. "How far until the forest?" Aisha gasps.

Elsword gestures into the distance with his head. "Like, a kilometre maybe.

Mere seconds later, you begin to see trees line the roadside. "Hit the brakes!" You yell, pounding on Elsword's seat.

He steps on the brake so suddenly that the car nearly jackhammers in place. "Everyone out!" He roars, ripping off his seatbelt.

You turn to find yours, hitting the red button that keeps it in place. "Eve, let's go!"

She nods silently, eyes wide. You recall now that she gets motion sickness pretty easily. Whoops.

You all quickly exit the car, with Elsword looking off into the distance. "Chung, do you have any timed explosives?" He asks. "We can blow this car into oblivion, so they can't catch us."

That's pretty good idea. "I don't know if it'll be enough, though," you tell him. "We really just need to blow up the license plate, to throw them off Hoffman's trail."

"We've already gotten Luichel convicted," Eve croaks, "we really can't afford to get Hoffman caught as well."

Elsword nods. "You and Aisha run. Chung and I will pry the license plates off and blow them up."

There it is again, that look in Aisha's eyes as she turns to Elsword. "Stay safe," she tells him, grabbing Eve's hand and running off into the forest.

You glance at Elsword. He still seems clueless. You're going to have to do something about it eventually, but now is not the time. You quickly run to the back of the car and dig your fingers under the license plate, snapping the screws that kept it in place and lifting it off easily.

On the other side of the car, Elsword raises the other license plate in the victory. "Throw them in the front," he says. "We can blow up the engine.

You punch the window quickly, shattering it and throwing the plates in. "Back up," you tell Elsword. "Help me grab a canister from my bag."

He reaches into your duffel bag and takes a canister out. "One shot," he says. "You got this."

You take aim quickly and pull the trigger.

The rocket shuttles into the car, blowing it into the air. As it lands with a crash, you can see flames start to erupt in the front. "Let's go!"

"Wait." Elsword turns to rummage in his bag. "Hold on a second."

He takes out what seems like a canister of his own. "Batter up!"

Your eyes instantly go wide. "Els-"

He launches the thing into the air. It goes flying in a wide arc before landing under the car, where it shatters and instantly bursts into flame. "Go, go, go!" He screeches, grabbing your arm and beginning to run.

"How'd you do that?" You demand, trying to keep up with his pace.

He shrugs. "I played baseball as a kid," he says. "My sister gave me a few jars of kerosene before we left. I just lobbed it in."

You catch up with Eve and Aisha at the entrance of the waterway pipe that Hoffman had told you about. Sure enough, there's a surly-looking man standing at the entrance, smiling broadly.

Elsword freezes in his tracks. "Banthus?" He splutters. "You're in the resistance?"

Banthus grins. "Sure thing, kid. I told yer sister I'd keep you safe. Besides, the quicker y'all end this mess, the quicker you'll get back to the farm. I'm running out of hands."

He laughs at his own joke as he looks at his messily wired prosthetic arm. "Just keep going left, and you'll pop up in Bethma," he says. "Miss Aisha says she can find a friend who can keep you safe in Bethma."

You grab Elsword's shoulder. "C'mon, Els, we gotta get going," you tell him. "Thank you, Mr. Banthus."

"Thank me when you're safe," he says. "The Alteran police aren't going to wait. I'll be going back to Ruben now. Elspeed to you all."

"Elspeed," you and Eve chorus as he grins one last time, gets in a large truck and drives away.

The tunnel looks dark, but there seem to be lights on the walls every so often. "Let's go," you tell Elsword, who hiccups weakly. "We need to get going."

"My life is a lie," he mutters, but follows along quickly.

You get the feeling this might take a few hours, at the very least.

* * *

 _6:47 pm, Bethma City downtown_

There are _so_ many police officers.

You suppose this is the first part of Adam Nasod's Morpheus Project; there are massive numbers of soldiers being deployed everywhere. Bethma is virtually flooded with officers, who you see are harassing citizens everywhere.

There's a list of rules nailed to every wall. Number one, Commander Nasod does not tolerate traitors. Number two, curfew is at 9:30 pm sharp. Number three, anyone trying to resist the Morpheus Project will be caught and detained. The list goes on and on.

To make matters worse, you keep seeing your own face on wanted posters. There are bulletin boards all over Bethma, and pinned to each is at least one copy of your wanted poster.

 _Wanted: Prince Seiker_ , it says. _Preferably alive. $1 Million reward for alive turn-in._

If Elsword and Aisha are as put off as you are about your birth name, they don't show it. Eve touches your arm gently; she's got plenty of her own wanted posters as well.

There are a lot of wanted posters, in fact. There's a few torn copies of _Wanted: Elesis Sieghart_ that seem to be pretty old. The most troubling you've stumbled across by far belong to _Public Enemy No. 1: Add Kim_ and _Public Enemy No. 2: The Asura_. You recall Luichel told you something about the Asura being the one who was supposed to escort you to Feita, but they went to free Add from prison instead.

Eve seems a little relieved that Add is apparently freed, albeit on the run. "How much longer, Aisha?" She asks, a little bounce in her stride.

"Just a little longer," she says, narrowing her eyes at the nearest police officer. "Please, can I just taser this guy? Please?"

"Last time you did that, you killed a man," Elsword mumbles.

"Let's not taser anyone," you tell her. "Where to?"

She points across the street. "That house."

"So how do we get there with all the police officers in the way?" Elsword asks. "Aside from tasering them?"

"We pretend we're not wanted criminals and just go," she suggests. "Eve, can you get Moby or Remy to distract that guy there?"

Eve turns to her birds, whispering commands to them. Soon, they take off into the sky, dancing in the golden sky together. The officer turns around, gun at the ready, but relaxes when he sees the birds in flight.

Aisha grins. "Let's go."

The four of you get up from your corner and stride across the street, which really isn't that wide. You grab Eve's arm and run a few steps ahead, while Aisha and Elsword nod respectfully at the officer when he turns around.

"Is this the house?" Asks Eve quietly, pointing at what seems to be a small townhouse.

Aisha nods. "Hold on."

She walks up the stairs onto the patio and knocks on the door in a specific pattern, with Elsword following right behind her. You ascend the staircase, with Eve right behind you, hoping this won't be too awkward.

The door finally swings open to reveal a boy around your age with pink hair, grinning brightly. "Aisha-"

She immediately blocks his next words with her hand. "Can we bunk here?" She asks very quietly. "Toma, we're on the run."

He tilts his head in confusion, looking past Aisha to find you and Eve on the top step. His eyes instantly go wide. "Of course," he says, pushing Aisha's hand down and smiling. "Come on in."

* * *

Toma seems to be a nice guy. He's apparently Aisha's childhood best friend, as Eve told you after watching them joke about the old times. He made you all some excellent bean stew and told you about the current state of Bethma.

Apparently the officers arrived _before_ the Morpheus Project was officially announced. They've been here since the peaceful protest in Elder, two months ago. You felt a surge of anger come up when Toma started to list off the things they'd done to the citizens.

"A week ago, they arrested Nina for "stealing" a necklace," he'd said. "And it was her prayer pendant too. She's had that since she was born."

"Don't you have a prayer pendant, Cherry?" Aisha had asked.

"Yeah, but I haven't been to church since I was three."

Eve is silent, but you can see her paint the same mental picture as you did earlier by the car when she makes eye contact with you.

You're washing your face when you hear someone come up from the basement, where the four of you will sleep tonight. You open the door, flooding the corridor in light and catching Elsword in headlights.

"Can't sleep?" You ask.

He shakes his head. "Nah. Eve is passed out and it didn't feel right to stay downstairs. You could have told me she snores."

"She's exhausted, bro," you remind him with a smile. "She's been running for three days straight. I snore too when I'm that tired."

Elsword makes a muffled snorting sound that you think might have been a laugh. "I'll just grab a mug of water and try and go back to sleep.

You can tell that something's wrong, though. His eyes are flickering through the room, and it's not because of the darkness. "Els, answer me. Are you okay?"

He pauses. "Not really," he admits. "I guess I'm just kinda worried for Aisha. It's pretty late, and she's not coming downstairs…"

"She's talking to her childhood friend," you remind her. "Oh gosh, you don't think…"

"Her childhood sweetheart?" He finishes weakly. "Yeah. Probably."

"You like her, don't you." His garbled expression and red face tell you all that you need to know. "Yes you do. Don't deny it. I've seen the way you look at her when you're telling her to get to safety. You're genuinely concerned for her."

He scoffs. "Oh please. Like the way you look at Eve?"

Now you turn red. "I guess," you concede, "but at least I have the guts to admit it. She's my best friend, and I wouldn't let her get hurt for the world. Can you say that about Aisha?"

He remains silent in the darkness. You give him a quiet "goodnight" and slip past him into the basement.

Eve is indeed fast asleep and snoring. You're supposed to be sharing a mattress with Elsword, but…

You lie down next to Eve, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. "Goodnight, Eve," you whisper, closing your eyes.

Hopefully tomorrow will bring a better world to your doorstep.

* * *

 **A/N: sorry for the month long hiatus, I went on vacation and at one point I was in possession of twelve entire macarons can you believe it**

 **I wasn't supposed to put the last part in but I've been away for so long so i thought eh why not**

 **sunday update bc i have two tests tmrw and tons of homework**

 **next chapter will have some spoopy realizations... woooo**

 **~Marg**


	11. Chapter 10

SPECTRUM

By MargaritaDaemonelix

Chapter 10

 _Busted._

That's all you can think of as Lu sits down next to you on the sofa bed that Ciel and Add had occupied. You hadn't expected her to wear a black nightgown to bed, of all things.

Then again, you also hadn't expected Ciel to wear phoru-print pajamas. He shakes his head as you stroke the sleeping Eun in your lap. "I think you owe us a few answers, Ara," he says. "Nothing about you adds up. That wig you're wearing-are you who I think you are?."

You smirk as you flick at the slippery white hair in your face. "I guess I should introduce myself properly this time," you admit. "My name is Ara Haan, formerly of the Haan family. I also happen to go by Asura, when I'm at work. I'm a graffiti artist, freelance assassin and unaffiliated rebel. It's nice to meet you."

"Okay, back up," Lu pipes up. "Ciel said that if you knew him from before, and you're still alive, then there must be a reason why he can trust you. Why?"

So Lu has dabbled in Ciel's craft, after all. "Do you want the long story, or the short story?"

"Long story." Add has been surprisingly quiet all this time. "After you made me erase you from the records, everyone lost contact with you for nearly five years. You need to fill in those gaps on what you did."

You sigh. "I guess I'm starting from the beginning, then," you decide. "Nearly nine years ago, I allied with a group of rebels in Sander to expose my family's corruption. There was a lot of bloodshed on both sides… but in the end I was one left with no allies standing.

"I was young and stupid at the time," you laugh, mostly to yourself. "There are hundreds of ways I could have made that uprising work, and I had to choose the riskiest way of doing it. I don't know what sixteen year old me was thinking at the time. All my friends were dead, my parents were dead, my half siblings were dead, the only survivors were me and my brother, and I didn't have anyone to call for backup."

Lu puts her hand over yours gently. You know she understands the bitter feeling of betrayal too.

Then again, maybe you deserve it for being born into such a mighty family.

"My brother had me locked in a rubber room for days," you recall, though not really. Perhaps you've finally pushed that memory out of your mind. "In the end, the court found me guilty of treason. They sentenced me to execution by Alterasia."

Both Lu and Ciel audibly gasp now. "Didn't they ban the usage of Alterasia, what, thirty years ago?" Lu squeaks.

"Only recreationally," Add explains. "They're still carrying out executions with it today. The scientists on the Alterasia team are developing a more potent formula as we speak."

"Besides, there was no way they could have banned their most powerful toxin," you drawl, "not while there were still insurgents to be executed. But yeah, I was sentenced to death."

"But you're here right now," says Lu, dumbfounded. "Everyone thought you were dead for eight years, killed in the attack that took out the rest of your family. How did you survive?"

You share a glance with Add, and the both of you laugh. "Add brought the squad, and they all busted me out," you tell them. "It took a while for me to recover, because I'd already received two shots of Alterasia. There's probably still some left in my bloodstream."

The execution process with Alterasia is painful and torturous. The lethal serving is administered in three doses. The executioner gives the convicted three chances to repent, once before each dose. By the third dose, usually the convicted has already gone unconscious from pain already.

Alterasia was used as a recreational drug, back in the day, due to its ability to create vivid hallucinations. With forty milligrams of Alterasia in your bloodstream, you'd started seeing images of what you'd thought was your future. Married, with twin children-a boy and a girl. A happy future.

Except they were smiling at you as they tore your stomach to pieces with their bare hands. It felt like you'd forced yourself to eat a cartridge of bullets, and then set yourself on fire. There were greedy hands tearing at your intestines, at your throat, and everywhere in between.

And then there was the vision of the beautiful white fox, chasing away the wretched children of your nightmares. You've come to see that as an omen of your body with Eun, though you have some idea as to what else it could have been.

"It took me a long time to recover from the Alterasia," you tell them softly. "But even afterwards, I didn't have much of an escape.

"There weren't many places I could have gone to escape my monster of a brother."

* * *

When Add drops you off in Bethma, having finally deemed you fit to survive, you find a job in a grocery store on the outskirts, near Elder. You cut your hair gently, giving yourself bangs and tying your hair off in two braids behind your back. With a pair of red contacts from Altera and a cute cat hair clip in your hair, not even the store owner can tell who you are.

You last a week there, when your paycheck arrives and your boss takes a look at your ID. Thank goodness you manage to make it out in time. You hightail it to an old bar, where you immediately call Add.

"If you're hearing this message, it means I'm busy. Please leave a message after the beep," he grumbles when he finally picks up.

"Add, the store owner found me," you tell him. "Can you erase me from the ID system? Like, permanently?"

You can almost hear his stare of mockery. "Ara, are you insane?" He demands. "That would give your brother even more reason to-"

"Yeah, but it'll be easier for me to get a fake ID," you argue.

He sighs. "Stay undercover for now. I'll get you out of the system by tomorrow."

You have twenty four dollars in your pocket, not even enough to buy a bag of chips. You grabbed most of your things on the way out of the grocery store, save for the white shirt Add found you. You can't even get a respectable office job, you have nowhere to go for the night, and everyone around you smells like booze and sweat.

"Looking for a job, miss?"

You turn around to face a gruff man, who somehow reminds you of a artist in Sander you used to visit. "Yes, and what've you got to do about it?" You demand.

He simply gets up from his seat and goes into the back of the pub. You follow him down a flight of stairs, out of sheer curiosity.

There are rooms downstairs, some of which are emitting noises of ecstasy. "Board's been taken care of," he grunts. "Eat all you want upstairs."

You get a room of your own, because Richian(as you learn his name is) is actually a kind employer. It's his wife Stella you're often worried about. While she does try to be gentle with you and the others, her words are often harsh and stinging. She is an excellent bartender, though, and mixes exotic drinks much better than those your brother's chefs served up.

Richian's official job for you isn't like the other girls. You don't really go into the rooms much, but the few times you do, you sleep for days afterwards. Mainly, you dance upstairs, because you're the most adorable person in the facility(Stella's words, not yours) and because you've got assets that you're quite proud of.

The other girls, though, don't like you. It's no small secret that you're Richian's favorite, and there are rumors that you're his personal plaything, his mistress. Years of using Sander's finest products has given you flawless skin. Even Stella is jealous of your chest size.

You might have been able to keep working as a dancer, perhaps even as an artist downstairs, if the others hadn't been so jealous of you. Almost overnight, you have no friends left in the bar, no one you could turn to while the others tear at your skin and claw at your heart.

The first time around, a few of the girls slip a centipede into your room while you're entertaining someone. You manage to kill it by crushing it with the falling electric lamp, but already you're suspicious of the act. The next time, they break some of the elastics in your dance attire. That works in your favor, though, when your entire top falls off while you're dancing.

When the girls start leaving hate messages, you figure it's time you get going. You receive your final pay from Richian, and just to spite them, you buy a little hairclip for each of your former coworkers. You leave Bethma feeling refreshed, in a brand new dress and new shoes.

Your luck doesn't last long, though. The night after you leave Bethma, you walk across the plateau into Lanox, the industrial heart of Elrios. You have to turn down three "dates" before you find a cheap motel room, which you end up sharing with another girl.

You've been living in Lanox for about a month when you meet Eun. She's half unconscious when you find the fox lying in an alley, her tail bloody. After a lot of washing and disinfecting, you realize that some asshole decided to split her tail into nine, to sell her as a cryptid. She must have escaped somewhere down the line.

When she finally opens her eyes, you see that they're bright red, like the markings on her face. She's wary of you for the first few days, but she never leaves your side.

She's the only good thing to happen to you in a long time. For a long time, you live on the streets with her, looking for a decent job as you ration out the dwindling dollars you brought from Bethma. You're not the only one on the streets; on several occasions you and others share shelters overnight-in dumpsters, under roofs, once on someone's balcony.

You become quick friends with the priestess of the local Elian church, who lets you stay in a back room after everyone else leaves in the evening. "You should hang around these parts," she suggests to you, offering you a cigarette. You politely turn it down, inciting a laugh from her. "You might be able to find a job in the market downstairs. Maybe a fox-fur business."

"Hey," you protest, scooping Eun up in your arms, "that's not very nice!"

Ignia laughs. "Just kidding," she says, flicking her cigarette. "But seriously, there are some cool people around these parts. There's a vendor downstairs that sells bulk candy. A hundred bucks for a hundred grams. Fantastic stuff."

"I don't have a hundred bucks, Iggy," you remind her.

Nonetheless, you visit the market the next day when it opens. The vendors shoot you dirty looks when they see Eun and the state of your rumpled clothing, but they don't question it.

You start chatting with some of the vendors that seem a little friendlier. The man who sells bulk candy is surprisingly kind, and offers you some candies that you don't have the heart to accept. A stand that's empty more often than it is occupied turns out to belong to your childhood friend, Steel, and her giant of a father, Sdeing. The last you saw of them, Steel's mother Irina was still alive. You don't touch on Mrs. Holgate much. There's a constant pain in Sdeing's eyes as he works on weapons and pans alike.

You yourself have no strengths in ironworking, but Steel is able to get you a job with an aging lady selling knit things, like socks and hats and scarves. While you've never learned how to knit, you're a fast learner, and within a week you're knitting just as fast as she can, fingers working away even while you're selling wares to customers. There's a surprising demand for woolen wares in the windy season of Lanox; in the thermal season, you learn to sew lighter clothes instead.

There's a man not much older than you are who sometimes comes in for new gloves and socks. From your employer (she insists that you call her Lizzy), you learn that his name is Ciel, and that he's a hitman, an assassin. Sometimes he'll bring along cookies, which you quickly find are delicious. There's also a woman from Sander who you strike up a conversation with, over foods that you miss and happier things.

You're still living in the back of the church(Lizzy has an apartment full of china wares; not a good place for a fox) but the one room you live in with Eun is cozy. After Lizzy tells you of some of her favourite material sellers, you buy your own wool and fabric to experiment with in the evenings. Lanox's people are quite different from Sanderians, in their habits and their apparel. Where Sander prefers fashion and style, Lanox always focuses on function.

It kind of makes sense, the more you think about it. You decide to cut down on the flouncy dress you bought from Bethma, and instead you wear a simple dress with shorts. Lizzy finds you a large bag, large enough to store a stack of clothes and still have enough space for Eun to sleep on top.

An entire year goes by, and no one makes the connection that "Ara" is the missing sister of Aren Haan. It's more than likely the general public believes you to be dead, anyways. Lizzy understands that you're seeking refuge in Lanox, and only pays you in cash to make sure you don't have to open a bank account. For the first time, you have enough money to buy Eun a little piece of steak, which she enjoys much better than the tuna you usually get her, and just enough afterwards to buy yourself a little bag of gummies from the candy vendor, much to your joy and his.

Then Lizzy passes on very suddenly one afternoon, right in the middle of sales. You don't realize until she's keeled over on the table, passed out entirely. Her pulse is gone before Ignia can even get downstairs to check on her.

The doctors tell you that she overdosed on sleeping pills, an addiction she'd been struggling with for half her life. In her apartment, they find her will. Her apartment she leaves to her estranged daughter, who comes to Lanox from Hamel to sell the place and the vasts amounts of china that her mother kept.

Her business and all her financial successes she leaves to you, who she calls her "dearest Ara". Her greatest regret, as stated in the will, was not having enough time to teach you to cook.

The small clothing shop is now entirely yours, and because Lizzy's daughter has tons of money and no use for anything but the china, so is Lizzy's apartment. You spend a week working out the legal dealings with that, skirting around your ID as much as you can, but at the end of the week you're back to sewing and knitting late into the night.

The first day back, you spend more time crying with the other vendors than you do actually selling things. Lizzy had been selling her wares there for a long time, nearly thirty years. A lot of the other vendors bring you gifts. Steel brings you a silvery knife she made herself. The candy vendor brings you an entire bag of your favourite gummies and other candies, at least a pound.

It makes you feel so guilty accepting all of it, so right afterwards you start to leave little gifts for them too. You teach yourself how to crochet overnight, and it adds a whole new world to your wares. You crochet a pair of sturdy winter gloves for Ciel the next time he comes around, and you send lace doilies to all the people who helped you.

Sometimes Ignia comes from upstairs to play with Eun, who she's quite fond of. One of these trips, she tells you she's not actually an Elian follower. "They sent me here as a punishment," she whispers. "Because apparently it's only okay to be Elian or Ishmaelian."

It only occurs to you later that night that she might be one of the "outsiders", just like Add is.

You haven't seen him in a year. You wonder how he's doing.

The shop becomes more popular over time, as you begin to incorporate subtle Sanderian-inspired patterns into your clothing. The profits aren't terribly low, but they aren't high either-Lizzy has trained you to never accept anything less than the best materials, and those aren't exactly cheap. Nonetheless, you finally manage to accumulate enough money to purchase yourself a bike, as well as a wagon to hitch to it for your wares.

Another year goes by, and things become more and more lonely. You start to long for the days of living in the church, chatting with Ignia into the night and learning new needlecraft from Lizzy, but at least you still have Eun. She curls up in your arms on the coldest nights, and her still recovering fan of tails keeps you cool during the hottest days.

A man comes by your shop one day while you're closing up-a drunkard, you think. His white jacket and silvery badges tell you he's an officer from Hamel, probably the navy. He slumps over your wares, reeking of alcohol and sweat. You push him off, but he pops up again to give you a toothy grin. "Hey beautiful," he tells you, words dragging into the tablecloth. "Whatcha sellin'?"

"Nothing that you would need," you tell him, looking around desperately for someone, anyone who could help, but there's no one around. You're the last one in the now almost empty basement, besides this gross man.

"You sellin' clothes," he points out, a grin emerging on his face. "Can I buy your clothes off ya?"

This is what you're afraid of, despite having dragged yourself through the brothel just two years ago. You've already sold your body and let yourself be cast into hell. You shouldn't be so afraid of someone as low as this. You can take this and turn it around.

"No, but I can buy yours," you tell him. "Tell me, how much do you want for that jacket of yours?"

He looks surprised, like he's been caught off guard. "Uhhh…"

You look under the table, into the plastic chest where you keep all your extra wares. "I can give you this," you tell him, lifting up a poncho that unfurls at your feet. "It'll be warmer than your jacket, and besides, I'm sure you're bored of the same old jacket every day."

The more you speak, the more you pour yourself into the words, the more entranced he becomes. Then again, it's not hard considering how drunk he is. "Take my jacket," he says quickly, throwing the long white coat off and tossing it at the table.

You do up all the buttons quickly, right up to the collar. "Come over here."

When he steps over to your side of the stand, you toss the poncho over his head, sighing silently in relief when the collar snags on the top of his head. "Oh my," you tell him, making your voice as sweet as possible. "I think this one is too small. Do you want to sit here for a while, so I can find you one in your size?"

"Mmhmm."

You grin in triumph as you steer him gently to the other side of the room, putting him in a chair not placed by any tables. Hopefully he won't cause too much damage if he realizes what you've done. "Just stay there, okay?" You tell him soothingly. "I'll be back."

For good measure, you lean in to what you presume is his ear. "And then we can talk about _my_ clothes."

He nods vigorously, and you take the opportunity to move away quickly. You don't have much time to work.

You sweep all your things into the plastic tub you transport them in. Lizzy always kept her clothes in a watertight tub, in case it rained while she was getting to work. You glance back periodically to make sure the moron is still there, and hasn't secretly snuck up on you. He doesn't move, but you can never be too sure about it.

For good measure, you toss his jacket over your shoulders and slip your arms in as you gather your supplies. It might come in handy, having such a nice jacket, and who knows how much the badges will sell for on the black market?

As soon as you grab everything, you pick up the box and scurry up the stairs into the church, out of the church, onto the street. You strap the box to your wagon quickly and kick off on the bike.

You return home that night exhausted, and immediately you drop on the bed and fall fast asleep.

It turns out to be a good thing and a bad thing. While you do manage to catch up on some of your lost sleep, you end up opening shop later than usual the next morning so you can finish a few alterations for customers. You spend your morning apologizing to your regulars, who assure you that it's okay, that you could use a break(and a friend to help with your business!).

You keep looking back to the spot where you left the officer the night before. There's no one there. You wonder if Ignia kicked him out during her nightly rounds.

The day passes with much laughter. A little girl throws a fit because her parents wouldn't let her buy candy, but she calms down once she sees Eun. Your fox is not amused, but the girl's gentle pats draw out content purrs nonetheless. A new vendor sets up shop, a one-man bakery. You give him a few lace doilies for his display, and when they come out of the oven, you can't help but buy yourself a few garlic knots.

By the end of the day, as you close up shop, you're still smiling, having almost forgotten the incident the night before. Because of the events of the day, business was slow, so you decide to leave the box in the back room, where you and Eun once lived. Ignia still leaves the door open, maybe out of habit, maybe out of nostalgia.

You're thinking about how to heat up your garlic knots as you retrieve your bike when someone crashes into you, sending you flying into the street.

Your first instinct is to curl up around your bag, protecting Eun from the impact. Someone grabs your coat by its collar.

"Who said you could take my jacket, you whore?"

You thought you'd be free of the Hamelian, but clearly you aren't. "I do as I please," you tell him. "You can't control me."

He laughs. "Really? Do you know who I am?" He drawls. "You're defying an officer, you little Lanoxian."

Eun has wriggled the zipper open, pushing something you'd hoped you'd never have to use out. In a situation like this, however, you know it'll be a necessity. "Who told you I was a Lanoxian?" You ask calmly.

He snorts like a pig, slapping his side as he laughs. "Why, what else could you be?"

Your brother, however he may be now, once taught you all sorts of martial arts. You could probably kill this fucker with a twig. Steel may have given this knife to you as a gift, but in your hands it can be the catalyst of the apocalypse.

You draw your knife out, turning the grip over in your hand and feeling the familiar leather scratch against your fingers. "How about the dead sister of the Earl of Sander?" You say, a sweet, dreamy smile blossoming on your face as you press the tip of the blade to his sternum. "How about a girl from a family way out of your league? How about..."

You step up to him, leaning in to whisper in his ear, "a ghost."

You didn't think he'd scream, but he does. In your moment of pure panic, you jab your knife through his chest, puncturing his lung. When you tug it out, he collapses to the ground, wheezing.

"It's too late now," you tell him. "Your little life is a mere pebble in my hand. I told you to remove yourself from my person, you didn't listen, and now you're going to die a miserable death. I am no mistress of yours. I live in a future where normal people like me are worth more than just their bodies."

As he shudders and lies still, Eun hops out of your bag and prods him with her paw.

"Leave him be," you tell her. Those words you just spat at him... Were they really you? Is your future really that far away?

As long a reign like your brother's exists, you cannot stay still, you decide. There are many other like you who were persecuted, simply because they spoke their minds when it was their bodies that were needed. You've seen your brother have so many of his servants executed. You need to take him and his regime down.

You're not the only one, either. Add is already on your side, and has been all this time. You've heard stories of smaller uprisings all across Elrios, and a larger group gathering in Velder. Maybe someday you'll join them, but not today. You're not strong enough yet.

You know the funds from your business won't last you forever. You'll have to make money somehow, but you know that you're never going to set foot in another brothel ever again. If you can kill with the same efficiency that you did with this scoundrel, you can have a chance at assassination.

There's an empty bulletin board above you. You'll have to take advantage of spots like these to get your message across. You've never been the best illustrator, but you're fairly good at calligraphy, and as you gaze at the full moon, you have an idea as to how to sign your work.

"Asura," you recall from your childhood lessons. "In some cultures, a benevolent spirit. In others, a malicious demon, out for blood."

Your fox is nestled back into your bag, giving a content purr as she curls up to sleep.

"I will fight for justice," you tell the wind. "I will not stand down until every one of my brother's pawns has been fucking ground into a bloody pulp, and then I will tear him apart with my bare hands. I will fight until this world starts viewing people as individuals and not numbers. I will fight until the last ray of sunlight shines on this god-forsaken land."

"By my honor as a Haan, I will fight."

* * *

You reach up to the top of your head with a sigh as your story ends, pulling the wig off your head. Your black hair tumbles out of the hasty ponytail you'd put it in before your attempt to escape. "I still have the jacket," you chuckle to yourself, picking at the white fabric that surrounds you. "The navy has really nice waterproof fabric. It's useful when I need to clean up blood."

Ciel has shrunken into his corner. "That was _you?_ "

You can't help but laugh. "I've showed up in more places than you might expect. I spent three months undercover in Altera as a maid once. You'd be surprised to see where I've been lurking."

"Did you make all your clothes yourself?" Lu asks, poking at your chest.

"Most of them, anyways." You flick at the jacket. "I got a friend to help me put scrambler chips into the jacket, because I'm not great with little details."

Add scoffs. "Was it Blondie?"

You grin at him. "Actually, it was Steel. She's rather good with small things like that."

With a flick of your wrist, you push your concealed stiletto blade into your palm. "You wouldn't expect it, because she's got such brute strength when it comes to large pieces," you muse, running your finger over the blade. "I keep her knife in my jacket, because I don't use it as much. Usually the stiletto does the job."

"Who runs Lizzy's shop now?" Asks Lu, suddenly quiet. "There are so many clothes sellers in the market now…"

"Didn't you hand the stall off to Ryota?" Ciel points out.

You nod. "I did. Well, at least to their parents, anyways. How are they doing?"

"They eat garlic knots by the bushel," Lu complains. "Like, I get that you're hungry, but leave some for the rest of us!"

The four of you laugh for a moment, making the sofa bed sway from side to side. Hopefully it'll stand.

"After I got rid of the shop, I started with small jobs," you continue. "Simple things, like escorts and stuff. I've never lost an escort, in my six years on the job. Then I moved onto bigger things-infiltrations and busting people out of jail and stuff. And then I put myself out there as an assassin for hire."

"You charge an awful lot for your services, Ara," says Ciel.

You shrug. "I often go cross-country for my jobs," you remind him. "I taught myself to drive for that reason."

"You still don't have a license," Add mutters.

"Neither do you, Add," you gripe back.

"I used to have a license," Lu offers. "But I'm too short to reach the pedals now…"

She crosses her arms and flops onto the bed. "Damnit."

In that moment when she hits the bed, the legs underneath the sofa bed finally give way, collapsing underneath you with a terrifying crash.

Add makes an unholy screech as he tumbles off the bed and onto the ground. "Uuuuhhhh…" He rolls over, looking dazed. "I guess I'm back to being down here…"

You make eye contact with Lu, and the both of you break into giggles. Ciel has to hold back a smile. Even Add, who is still half on the floor, starts laughing over just how _absurd_ the situation is.

Because between the four of you, three are wanted by the Alteran government, and the fourth is beyond confused as to why he's consorting with _you crazy people_. Because after all of this, after being on the run for eight years, you've finally found a family again, and they're amazing. You have a sister in Lu, a brother in Ciel, and a… slightly awkward friend in Add.

Finally, after eight long years of tears, loneliness, sleepless nights and restless days, you have a place, a family you can call home.

* * *

 **A/N: this chapter has been in the reserves for like a year but I decided to delay release by a week so I can catch up with the next chapter T-T**

 **Next chapter should get into more character revelation... Oooooh... Idk that's what my chapter planning says and I swear by my planning (not)**

 **also apparently new dungeon has revealed many things, time to finish rounding out the plot**

 **~Marg**


	12. Chapter 11

SPECTRUM

By MargaritaDaemonelix

Chapter 11

The streets of Feita have finally calmed down.

Less than a week ago, you were in the hospital for nearly forty-eight hours straight, helping the injured in the aftermath of the bomb explosion. Now, you're a hero among the citizens, despite your refusal to accept the title.

The most damage didn't come from the bomb explosion itself. The majority of the citizens were able to escape in time to the bunkers, save for a few in the outer city who sought refuge behind rock faces. Most of the injuries came from the citizens' hassle to the bunkers. You treated one too many little girls who had been trampled on in the scramble to safety, comforted a mother whose only son had been crushed by merciless feet, tried so hard but failed to save an old woman who had fallen out of her wheelchair.

No matter how much of a hero the people say you are, in the end you failed to save them.

The death toll is currently at 158, among the thousands injured. Six listed as missing. Seventy three, trampled in the stampede. Of those, forty of whom were admitted to the hospital, alive, but you failed them, just like the old woman. Twelve trapped in fires, across the city. The rest, crushed by falling buildings and pieces of the mountain that they once called home.

They called you a doctor, the angel of life, but in the end, you let them lose so many.

There's a constant pang of guilt in your chest as you travel through the remains of the city, even as the people smile brightly at you. Some come up to talk to you, even though you can't find it in your heart to tell them how sorry you are.

And yet you mask it all away anyways, because that's what you were trained for. An Alteran maid must be silent for her master is to speak for her; she must be obedient for her master is to give her orders; she must be flawless as so to cover her master's flaws.

The market has somewhat returned to normal, however. Between the citizens' need for food and the miracle workers that are Aisha and Allegro, the market is no longer a mess. A few chunks of walls are still encircled off, but you make your way through fairly easily, smiling as you normally do at the people around you.

As expected, you find Elesis here. She's been working all morning, since six o'clock, and if your estimates are right, she'd been up until one in the morning the night before. Allegro and Raven probably convinced her to get a bite to eat for now.

Of course, with Elesis, it's never just a bite. As you near her bench, she waves at you with a grilled chicken wrap in hand. In front of her lies a box of fried rice and a bottle of Kool El-Aid. As much as you've tried to convince her to drop the sugary drink, she's attached to it. It propels her like coffee does Aisha.

You're starting to think this is becoming an addiction.

"Hey Rena," she calls, beckoning you over to her bench. "Do you want something to eat?"

"I think I'll pass," you chuckle, sitting down next to her. "I had a piece of toast in the morning. How do you manage to eat so much?"

Elesis smiles mischievously. "That's a Sieghart family secret," she says, winking. "What's up?"

"Not much," you admit. "I had a bit of a heart-to-heart with Raven though."

"Eh, don't worry about it," Elesis says, waving it off as she lifts her Kool El-Aid to her lips. "Still, it's nice to know that you've been talking to him. The poor guy could use some more friends."

You watch her eat in silence for a while. She's got bags under her eyes from the lack of sleep she's been getting lately. "You should leave some of the work for us to do," you remind her softly. "Raven and I spend most of our time just sitting around doing nothing these days. You can't put the entire city on your own shoulders."

Elesis is silent for a moment. "I've got to," she says, laughing a little to herself. "Lento is still recovering from his burns, and Allegro's got enough to deal with as is. I'm supposed to be a leader in this city. It's my job to protect the people."

You can see the guilt in her eyes, the same guilt that you carry. You can only imagine how much it hurts inside for her to see the city she calls home in ruins.

You put a hand on her shoulder. "You already are a leader," you remind her. "You were the one who stayed behind to close the barrier when the bomb dropped, and you were the one who rose from the ashes to put life back into the city. You've already protected the people the best you can, and that alone shows just how good of a leader you are."

Elesis smiles weakly at you. "Thanks, Mom," she jokes. "Is this supposed to be the first part of the "Elesis needs to go to bed earlier" speech?"

You inhale and feel yourself puff up like a ptarmigan. "Of course you should be going to be earlier," you chitter at Elesis. She shrinks into her side of the bench. "When did you go to bed last night?"

She splutters something incomprehensible.

"That's not enough sleep, Elesis!" You flick her in the forehead, just like you used to flick Eve and Chung in the forehead when they stayed up to three playing videos games. "Your body needs to recover from the things you do in the daytime. Nighttime is when growing girls grow the most!"

Elesis goes completely still. "Y'know, it's times like this when you remind me of Seris the most."

You try to find words, but fail to grasp onto anything substantial. "Oh."

Neither of you speak for a long time. The market continues to rumble with life behind you.

Finally, Elesis sighs and relaxes. "It's in the way you smile, even when you're angry," she says. "Seris was the glue that kept our group together.

"When the rebellion started," she says, bringing her voice down, "I was eighteen, going on nineteen. The others were five years older than me. I was the youngest person in our group.

She smiles. "Seris and Raven treated me like their kid," she recalls. "Which was funny, because I acted like their kid too. Alex and I used to pretend to gag when they were having their moments."

Alex. The name snags in your mind. "Is Alex one of Raven's friends from school?"

Elesis' eyes darken. "Yeah. Dirty bastard handed us over to the Alteran government the day before our final protest," she says, pounding the table with her fist. You grab her Kool El-Aid on instinct to prevent it from splashing out. "I think they ended up rewarding him. Sent him to Sander or something."

"So he was a traitor." No wonder Raven's so bitter.

"Uhuh." Elesis takes an angry bite of her rice. "We spent the day afterwards on the run from the police, but it was no use. Alex gave them all our escape plans, and they caught us at the Fluone River. Raven and Seris got me across the river, because I was youngest, but Hamel's police caught me a day later."

Silence fills your little alcove again. "They packaged me up," she continues, "and sent me off to Feita because I wasn't even old enough to drink at the time. They couldn't have done anything with me except to have someone watch over me and make sure I didn't go starting revolutions again."

She grins. "And then here I am," she says proudly, "starting revolutions again, just like they told me not to."

The two of you share a laugh over this. "So Alex is in Sander," you surmise. "Raven was in Velder up until two days ago. And you're here in Feita."

"And Seris is gone," Elesis finishes, her smile melting. "Been gone for five years."

"What happened? How'd she die?" You ask, wincing at your own words.

Elesis grimaces. "I… Don't know the exact details," she admits, "because I'd already crossed the river at that time. Lento told me that someone had stabbed her."

"Oh."

"Raven was so devastated that he'd stopped fighting altogether," she says. "That's part of the reason why they let him go so easily. Of course, they kept him in Altera for psychological counselling for a long time. I'd be traumatized too if I had to witness the death of my significant other."

Maybe that's why Raven always looks so painfully at you, because you look like Seris but you came from the home of his nightmares. You try to find something to say to Elesis, who laughs dryly. "I know. It must be painful for him."

Her eyes focus on something too far away. "That's why I try to lessen the workload on him," she admits. "Because I know he's got a lot of broken ends left."

She turns to you. "And you, Rena," she goes on, "you've got a lot of little pains, don't you?"

"I guess." You can't escape the truth in the end.

"Like your vegetarianism. Why?" Elesis asks. "I don't recall vegetarianism being a thing in Altera anymore."

You can't help but laugh a little to yourself. "It's not," you admit. "I just… Don't like seeing blood."

"But you were fine in the hospital," she says, clearly baffled.

"I don't know." You think back to the first day you woke up, when someone put a plate of food in front of you and you nearly threw up because of the meat. "I know I can't remember most of my past, but… I can remember blood. So much blood."

"Was it your own?"

"Some of it," you recall. The memory is hazy, not quite solid but not dispersed either. "Most of it, I think. Probably a lingering memory of how I fell off the balcony."

Elesis laughs when you make the quotation marks on "fell off the balcony". "Ah, the Alteran government and its little secrets," she says. "Maybe you really are a maid who got in an accident and has amnesia. Are you starting to recover your memories?"

"Nope," you chirp, picking up a grain of rice that she had dropped. "They gave me a lot of medication back when I was in Altera, apparently to restore some of my memories, but I'm pretty sure those made it worse."

As far as Eve, Chung and you have figured, you're probably some political prisoner that the doctors in the Tunnel used as a guinea pig for an amnesia serum. After they determined that it worked, they wove an increasingly intricate story about your so-called past, put you in the Core, and waited for you to become the perfect maid.

For a year, you really were the perfect maid. You picked up little things quickly, like how the senators liked their coffee and tea. Within a year, you were promoted for "obedience and general good behaviour despite mental trauma the year before". You were given the badge of Altera to affix to your sleeve, a symbol that proved that you were a servant of the state and to be respected by lower-ranking members of society.

Your promotion came from Master Nasod himself. You were to serve his younger sister, Evangeline Seraphina Nasod, alongside her bodyguard, Prince Seiker. At first, you were scared, because you'd only met the young Lady Nasod once before and she had been so cold and quiet.

Oh, how blissfully wrong you were. Eve and Chung really are angels.

"Why'd you leave Altera though?" Elesis asks. "I mean, that's like-" She gestures wildly with her hands. "-the pinnacle of Elrios! The centre of the light! You had Eve and Chung at your side-"

"But I also had to deal with Master Nasod," you interject quietly.

Elesis sits down, silent.

"Don't get me wrong, I really do love Altera," you remind her. "But the Core was no home for me. The only place where I was truly safe was Eve's penthouse."

"Did they… Hit you?" Elesis says, her voice suddenly very small.

"A few times," you tell her, tugging your cardigan a little tighter around you. "There are some scars on my back because Master Nasod threw a glass cup at me. I think there's one on my stomach as well. It was mostly him yelling."

"How can that man be the leader of a country?" Elesis hisses. "What kind of leader lets his own people get hurt? Especially an amnesic woman?"

"It wasn't just me," you continue. "I actually had it perhaps the best of all the maids, because I directly served Eve. Most of the others who served other senators in the Core didn't have someone to protect them like Eve did for me."

With every word, you can see the fire rise in Elesis' eyes. "Are these the people we rely on to run this country?" She demands. "How dare they."

You echo her thoughts in your mind. You didn't deserve being hurt like you were. Eve and Chung don't deserve to be on the run, hiding from the monster. Raven doesn't deserve living with the emotional aftermath of his rebellion. Elesis doesn't deserve living with the guilt of the bombing.

 _Seris didn't deserve to die_ , you add quietly in your thoughts.

"I couldn't stay," you reaffirm, "so I left when I could. Eve and Chung pulled so many strings to get me out of Altera. I walked down the plateau in the middle of the night. It took me three days to reach Velder. I walked into town and passed out, I was so tired."

"And then they thought you looked like Seris and dropped you with Raven," she finishes.

You nod solemnly. "I feel so guilty about having to stay with him," you admit. "I had more than enough funds on me to rent or buy my own home, but the townspeople dumped me on Raven and he took it all without a complaint."

As your face turns red, you have to drop your gaze into your lap. "Now that I know how uncomfortable I make him, it really does make me feel guilty," you mumble. "Did the people of Velder not realize how traumatized he was?"

Elesis laughs like she's in pain, and you know she understands. "Unfortunately, people don't see how emotional scars are just as painful, if not more, than physical scars," she rasps. "I wish more people would see how painful it is to have your mind torn to pieces, especially as a child."

She points at the schoolchildren, rushing in to snag a bite for lunch before their classmates can get there. "Those kids, they're going to have to live with the aftermath of the bomb for the rest of their lives," she says. "How many of them are you willing to bet lost family in the explosion? How many of them lost friends and classmates?"

"Even Allegro," you mutter. "He's so young, too young. Why is he doing an adult's job at such a young age? How old is he, eighteen?"

"Eighteen in October," she confirms. "This isn't the first time he's gone through something lasting, unfortunately. Lento's not actually his biological older brother."

You kinda figured that one out yourself, but you keep quiet.

"His parents were-" Elesis takes a deep breath, as if to clear her thoughts. "-they were part of the uprising, five years back. We lost them the day we lost Seris."

She goes quiet again. "Sonore was shot," she says softly, "and Celesta wouldn't leave his side. So they shot her too. I couldn't talk to Allegro for years afterwards. They were some of the kindest people I'd ever met, and their son is just like them in so many ways."

You find her thin finger pointing at your nose. "Y'know, you remind me of Seris like that too," she realizes. "It's not just in the way you look. You're kinda like…" She struggles for words for a moment. "The mom friend. Yeah."

"The mom friend?" You repeat, amused. You've never heard this term used before.

Elesis nods. "Yeah. Mom friend. Y'know, the friend who checks in on everyone's bedtime and how much spinach they're eating and how many times a day they drink water and stuff. Everyone has that one friend who's motherly to that point," she says solemnly.

"Then which friend are you?"

She has to think for a moment. "The vodka aunt."

You can't help but break into laughter, loud enough to scare a few of the schoolchildren lining up for hamburgers a few metres away. "I'm sorry," you splutter, rubbing your eyes, "I must really be getting old, because I've genuinely never heard this term used before in _any_ context. _Vodka aunt?_ Of all things?"

"They give it to people as a nickname sometimes," Elesis chuckles.

Her eyes focus on something beyond the busy market. "Huh… A nickname…."

"Elesis?"

She shakes her head. "Eh, no biggie," she says, grinning. "I should probably finish eating and get back to work."

You smile. "Of course. But you gotta promise me you're going to sleep a little earlier today, okay? You can't be up until one everyday."

Elesis makes a sneezing noise that vaguely sounds like just try me, but she nods in agreement as she sweeps the last of her fried rice into her mouth and packs up the garbage. "You should rest too," she says, cheeks packed with rice like a chipmunk. "Who knows what we might need to get to next? My brother is still a kid. He's a trouble magnet, I swear."

The two of you share a laugh over this. "Alright, then," you tell her. "See you around."

Elesis smiles at you, but you can see in her eyes curiosity, like she's taking notes about your every feature. "See you."

You watch her skip off into the market, tossing away her trash into the meticulously labelled waste receptacles, and you sigh.

Somehow, talking to her has just made you feel more guilty about the mess of the bomb.

You're going to find a way to help restore Feita to its former glory. You swear on it.

* * *

The smile melts off your face as soon as you turn away from Rena, turning into a sullen grimace. You find the nearest garbage receptacle, not even looking at the bins as you shove your trash in.

You're not angry at Rena. You would never be angry at Rena. She is just as the citizens of Feita say, an angel of life, the fairy in green. In fact, talking to her has made you feel a little better, about the bomb and the revolutions and Seris and every single one of your failures.

You could never bring yourself to be angry at Rena.

But you're angry at yourself.

Your city is a mess, and you're trying to remember something as trivial as a nickname. Instead of helping others like you should be, you're rushing through the streets of Feita, nodding a simple greeting to most of your friends, and you're looking for a _nickname_.

But then again, knowing your curiosity, you won't be able to sleep tonight unless you find out what you're looking for.

You venture deeper into the mountain city, stopping in front of the library. There's students inside, reading in preparation for what must be their finals. You wince at the sheer thought of final exams, which the Alteran government forced you to do after your permanent relocation to Feita. You push open the door softly, trying to make it squeak less.

It squeaks all the more. A cloud of tired students look up at you, the city's Red Knight, standing sheepishly in the doorway.

"Hey kids," you tell them awkwardly, "don't forget to factor out k. Good luck on your exams."

Someone sitting at a cubicle makes a noise that sounds oddly like "goddammit" and lunges for their eraser. Hey, at least you've done something productive today. Maybe you've just saved that person from failing their exam.

You weave between shelves, finding the staircase in the back of the library that leads to the archive layer underneath. The door of the archive room, which is usually open considering how often Allegro and Aisha are down here, is closed and locked.

Aisha's off in Elder. Allegro's got finals. No wonder.

You know Allegro keeps a spare key in a flowerpot upstairs, though. You thunder up the stairs again, rushing to the cabinet.

About fifty pairs of tired eyes turn to watch the dignified general of their city attempt to reach the flowerpot on top of the tallest cabinet, realize she's not tall enough, grab the nearest chair, pick up the flowerpot, yank the entire flower out and retrieve the key to the room downstairs.

Alright, so maybe you're not the most dignified person in this library, but you've got a mission and many questions, and you're going to finish that mission and answer those questions. "Also, don't forget your recursive formulae," you grunt to the students, moving back the chair to where it had been. "They put that on finals when I was in grade twelve."

Fifty pencils immediately scratch out "recursive formula" in unison. You chuckle under your breath, turning back to the staircase, now with the key. You unlock the door softly, though you can feel the sound of the click resonate through the library. You slip inside silently, bringing the door back with you.

The archive is dark, but you grope around on the wall until you can find the light switch. As the lights come on in a wave, you can see Allegro's magnum opus unfold before you like dominos. The entirety of the Elrian identity registry is housed in this room, about twice the size of your house. You could search up any Elrian citizen, dead or alive, and they'd pop up.

When is Allegro's birthday again? You're going to give him the official title of secretary of Feita the moment he turns eighteen, no ifs, ands or buts.

Ignoring Allegro's personal account, you sign in as a guest user into the central unit-the mothership computer, as he calls it. There's an option to go straight to the directory, where everyone is listed in alphabetical order, but you close the window. You need the search option.

After some poking around the files, you find the search bar. It's kind of ironic how well hidden it was-you had to access it from inside a password-protected folder. An advanced search pops up, which helps you narrow down your search significantly.

First, you plug in the tag "deceased". As expected, millions of entries pop up in a sea of red. There's an old joke in Elrios that red means dead, and it refers exactly to this entry system. There's still too many for you to process, however. You need to funnel it down more.

Adding the tags "female" and "unmarried at time of death" puts the number at less than a million. You feel something well up in your chest, probably creeping dread that you'll die in the same way. At least now you can put in a name.

Fingers shaking, you type in the letters, one at a time.

 _S. E. R. I. S._

Thirteen results come up, every single one of which shows Seris as a last name, not a first name. You let go of a breath you hadn't realized you were holding. Time for phase two.

You clear the search bar, keeping the tags, and enter Seris' last name. You remember all too clearly it being on one of the forms you had to sign when you were permanently relocated to Feita.

 _I, Elesis Sieghart, am guilty of partaking in activity deemed as dangerous to the wellbeing of the nation of Elrios as orchestrated by a Mr. Cronwell and a Ms. Erindel…_

You shake the memory away and plug in the last name Erindel. The computer takes less than a second to chew through the entries to give you a grand total of three results.

The first two are of no use to you, because one's been dead for thirty years and the other died about two months ago. The last entry, however, is exactly what you've been looking for.

You look around the room. There's a printer on another row of engines, which you open and raid for paper. You find a pen on the floor, which you pick up and use to jot down important numbers. A birth date. A name. An identity number. You even manage to draw a mildly shitty version of the barcode listed in the entry. For good measure, you grab your phone from your coat pocket and take a photo of the entry.

Before anyone else can get to anything, you need to erase evidence you've been here. You clear your browsing history, cookies, everything that you can think of, before logging out of the guest account. The pen you set on the desk, letting it roll off mindlessly to not far from where you found it. No one's going to ask if one sheet of paper is gone from the printer, though you have to readjust one of the scrap pieces you found on top of the printer.

Finally, you pinch your nose and walk through the aisles between the computers, stirring up a cloud of dust that settles once again on the computer. Hopefully Allegro won't question anything when he returns in about a week's time.

You're armed with all the information you could need for your case. You exit the archive room silently and lock the door behind you before folding up the sheet of paper with your vital evidence and tucking it into your jacket.

As you ascend the stairs, fifty pairs of tired eyes turn to stare at you again.

Hey, it's been five years since you took your final exams, but you still got the gist of things.

"Gather around, kids," you tell them, grinning. "Ms. Sieghart's gonna give you a crash course."

* * *

 **A/N: *jazz hands* guess who completely and utterly bombed her math exam!**

 **i have a french exam tmrw bc canada man but I'm going camping next week so I'm uploading this a week early, expect a three-week hiatus after this**

 **i'm trying to eat frozen strawberries rn and i'm giving myself brain freeze**

 **Ever if you're reading this ilu and you should come to canada and drink bagged milk with us**

 **~Marg**


	13. Chapter 12

SPECTRUM

By MargaritaDaemonelix

Chapter 12

 **TW: Pretty violent. Proceed with caution.**

Bethma awakens at sunrise, so you must awaken before then.

The old schedule of life you had, just two years ago, suddenly floods back to you as you open your eyes, early in the morning. The alarm clock on your new tablet becomes your saving grace, when the four of you in the basement all fail to be awake at five am.

You're the first to sit up groggily, reaching under your still vibrating pillow for your tablet to turn off the alarm. It's been a while since you woke up this early, and back then, your alarm was your mother's screeching.

Beside you, Elsword rolls over, groaning loudly as he swats around the thin sleeping bags that Toma was able to find for the four of you. "Is it time to get up?" He mutters, blinking as you exit your tablet from under your pillow and it lights up in his face.

"Unfortunately," you reply, scrolling through your messages. Elesis doesn't seem to have any updates for you for the time being, but you keep her on notifications, just in case. "Can you wake up Eve and Chung?"

Elsword rolls lazily out of the sleeping bag and onto the floor, and you can't help but snicker as he hits the floor with a yelp. "Yoo, Choongles, Eve, we need to get going."

A figure instantly sits up in the dark. "Affirmative," you hear, in the soft tone that can only belong to Eve. "Chung, wake up."

He doesn't. Eve flicks one of the tufts of hair on his head, the ones that you swear look like ears. "Chung," she repeats, quiet and deadly as she leans down. "I will eat all the apple fries and save none for you if you don't get up right this instant."

Almost immediately, Chung sits bolt upright, nearly knocking into both Elsword and Eve. "I'm up," he announces, gasping for air. "Gosh, Eve, don't scare me like that."

The other girl looks past him to shoot you a sly grin. So maybe she is capable of mischief to some degree after all.

You give her a thumbs up before turning back to your own sleeping bag. The original idea was that you and Eve would share the bed, while Chung and Elsword were supposed to sleep on a mattress (because hey, ladies first, right). By the time you came downstairs, however, it was clear that Chung had tonkered out next to Eve on the bed, leaving you and Elsword the mattress.

It's not different from back home in Ruben, you suppose.

A shiver runs down your spine when you realize that _Bethma isn't home anymore_ , and now Ruben is the home you're longing to return to. Still, Bethma was where you were born and raised, if anything, and you have a duty to protect it.

Elsword lumbers up to the bathroom to clean out his piercings, after intense glaring from Eve and a sleepy scolding from Chung. While he's gone, you grab the sleeping bag you'd been burrowed in and roll it up quickly, securing it with two wide elastics, and do the same for his.

The four of you pack up your bags quickly as the smell of buttermilk pancakes floats down from upstairs. Toma must have gotten up early, despite your _clear instructions_ for him to not.

To say that you're exhausted is an understatement. You were up until two in the morning, talking to Toma and catching up to the things you've missed in the two years that you spent in Ruben. Stella's bar has expanded to include a small restaurant, and the discreet underground doings in that building are still… Open and active. Bethagara Falls has been entirely taken over by the Alteran police, and the Lizardman clan forced off their ancestral home.

It gets worse. The Alteran police have their way with the people of Bethma, taking what they want, eating what they want, violating both the men and women of the city alike. A few children have been kidnapped, including a young girl who had been living in Stella's bar. A few of the police have permanently "stationed" themselves at the bar, mostly so they can mooch off the alcohol and the girls in the basement.

Just the thought of the city in such ruins makes you want to find the nearest police officer and beat them up.

So that's why today, you're going to free the city.

Toma is, in fact, up and awake, despite having gone to bed way after you last night. You highly suspect that he hasn't even slept at all. "Good morning, Aish!" He chirps when you step into the kitchen. "I made pancakes today!"

They smell delightful, like fresh buttermilk and molasses. Toma used to make them with artificial sweetener, but since he started permanently working at the general store, he's probably been able to get better quality food. "Look great as ever," you tell him. "I've missed these pancakes…"

He laughs brightly, despite the dark bags under his eyes. "I've perfected the recipe while you were away," he boasts, flipping one over so it doesn't burn. "They're fifty times better than before, I swear!"

You can't help but smile a little when the smooth surface of the pancake, golden and oily, lands right-side up in the middle of the pan, sizzling and spreading little oil flowers across the surface of the pan. The rich scent of butter reminds you all too much of Anne Sieghart's freshly baked croissants.

"They smell so nice," you comment offhandedly as Elsword comes trudging up the stairs from the basement, stretching his arms above his head. "Cherry, don't these pancakes remind you of your mom's bread?"

Elsword rubs the sleep away from his eyes as he leans over the sizzling pan. "Huh, they do," he mumbles. "Smells like buttermilk…"

"I know, right?" You snark back, giving his messy hair a ruffle. He hasn't tied off the longer locks yet today. You make a mental reminder to cut them off someday while he's asleep, or at least convince him to find a barbershop that can cut them off. "Toma, you really need to pass me the recipe for these someday."

"That's my secret to keep, and yours to wonder," he replies, scooping the pancake out of the pan in one fluid motion. "Take a stack and go eat. I'm afraid I don't have syrup for them, but I think there's a little diluted molasses in the back cupboard…"

While Elsword carries the plates of pancakes to the dinner table, you open the cupboard behind Toma. You can see the bottle of molasses in plain sight, on the third shelf, but no matter how high you jump, how hard you try to push yourself up on the counter, you _still can't reach the fucking bottle_. "There's got to be an easier way to do this," you mutter, scanning the kitchen for a stool.

There are none. You vague recall Toma having moved his kitchen stools to the dining room, to accommodate for the sudden influx of visitors. Sighing, you press your palms against the countertop and boost yourself up, trying to twist half your body to land your butt on the counter.

As expected, you don't make it up. Your feet hit the floor again with a _thump_. It's too early in the morning to be doing stunts like this.

Someone snickers in the doorway. You turn around to find Toma and Elsword trying to hide identical smirks by the stove. "Does she still do irrational things like this in Ruben?" Toma asks, hand over mouth. "Like insisting on staying up to finish a project despite having all the time in world to finish?"

Elsword's grin only grows, and you're instantly reminded of the fact that you've pulled at least three all-nighters in the past month. "It's only gotten worse," he replies nonchalantly, stepping into the kitchen. "Your stubbornness is showing, Grape. If you can't reach something, just tell me or something."

He reaches up _effortlessly_ and swipes the bottle off the shelf, placing it into your waiting hands. "Don't go getting into stupid situations where you might get hurt," he chides, half playfully and half serious.

It's a strange turn of events, seeing Elsword suddenly so concerned for your health, but then you have no time to worry about it, because Eve and Chung are up the stairs, bags in hand as they chitter softly. "Good morning, everyone," says Eve. "Toma, we didn't know where you got the sleeping bags from, so we just rolled them up and stacked them in a corner. Is that alright?"

"That's fantastic," he replies. "Thank you, Miss Nasod. Eat up, guys, today's a big day and you're going to need all the energy you can get."

The pancakes are as fantastic as ever, though slightly more acidic than you remember(probably just from the buttermilk). The watered-down molasses is a little bitter, but hey, it's not like you've got any right to complain. Living in Ruben has shaken your preferences. You've gotten spoiled.

While Eve is mostly silent, Elsword alternates between bites of pancake and guesses as to what's in them. It becomes a game between him and Toma, one that leaves huge grins on both their faces.

Chung, on the other hand, is tapping away on his tablet, probably getting in touch with Feita. "Elesis says we can make a pit stop here," he says. "But we need to be in and out ASAP. We might not even be able to outrun Adam."

Eve bites her lip as she sets down her fork. "Then we're going to be in and out ASAP," she says, "and instead of outrunning my brother, we're going to outwit him."

She pushes her chair away from the table and stands up. "Thank you for your hospitality, Toma," she says, shaking his hand a little awkwardly. "I'm not very good with farewell greetings, but it's really nice that you let us stay here. I really appreciate it."

Toma stiffly shakes her hand, before breaking out into laughter. "Don't worry about it," he says. "I'm not great at saying goodbye either. Saying hello is a lot more fun. Besides, who would I be to turn y'all away? You're all Aisha's friends, and by default that makes you my friends."

He gives you a grin, and you can't help but laugh as you get up to give him a hug. "Thanks, Toma," you tell him. "It was nice meeting you again… Even if shit's gonna hit the fan."

"No problem," he replies. "You guys should probably get going soon if you're going to get away… But not before I give you some supplies."

Eve and Chung exchange a glance of confusion. You get the idea that they do this a lot, considering how long they've probably known each other. "Don't worry, it's not anything life changing," he chortles. "I figured you guys probably need some stuff to get through the city."

While the four of you sit/stand around the dinner table in confusion, Toma rushes off into the basement, presumably looking for supplies. "So how are we going to do this, Eve?" Chung asks quietly, trying not to break the near silence.

Eve takes a deep breath and clenches her fists. "We're going to separate into groups," she says. "Chung, please bring up the map of the city and the surrounding area."

He does, and you hold your breath as the map of your childhood home lights up on his tablet. "Our rendezvous point is here," Eve says, drawing a red circle around the north side of the city. "We will meet up here in two hours."

You mentally visualize the square she's talking about, recalling to mind the buildings, the landmarks, the people who live in the area.

"Aisha, you will go cause chaos in the residential district," she says. "Cause a mess. Taser some police guards if you must. Go all out. Just stay alive, and don't get hurt. Chung, you make your way to the rendezvous point and stay there. Hold your ground until we can get to you.

"I will clear the downtown area," she continues. "Which reminds me-don't kill any innocents. We are doing this to free the city, not to destroy it."

Finally, she turns to Elsword. "Elsword, you will go to Bethagara Falls," she instructs. "The ancestral home of the Lizardman clan. Give them back their home."

Elsword smiles sheepishly. "That's all well done and said in practice, but I'm not exactly armed…"

"And that's where I come in," Toma yells from the basement. You turn around to find him coming up the stairs, arms full of supplies. "I figured you guys might not have access to some of the nooks and crannies where policemen might be hiding, so I pulled up some old maps."

He hands one to each of your friends. "Aisha, I figure you won't need a map," he says. "As for weapons, I tried to find stuff that you guys would be more accustomed to. Miss Nasod and Mr. Seiker, you guys are already armed, so I guess I won't need to give you much."

Reaching into a bag, Toma pulls a wooden baseball bat out, one that you remember all too clearly from your childhood memories. "This is the bat I used to hit a homerun when I was sixteen," he grins, handing it to Elsword. "Chung told me you used to play baseball."

Elsword looks over the red baseball bat in his hands, smile slowly widening. "This is the best thing anyone's ever given to me, bro," he exclaims. "Thanks, man. This is gonna be great."

"Don't break it too early on," Toma laughs, giving him a clap on the back. "You're gonna need it in the days to come."

He turns to you. "And for you, Aisha," he says, reaching again into the bag, "I know for a fact that you still have your taser, so I'm not going to give you too much cool stuff, but I _did_ call everyone living in this area, and they've got anything useful they've got in front of their houses."

Out of the bag he extracts a piece of paper. "You know where all these houses are," he says. "These are the people who are contributing-our friends."

You quickly scan through the list. Frying pans, kitchen knives and lighters are going to be readily available outside nearly every house. Nina, ever the rebellious, has stacked tires from old cars outside her dad's garage, as well as some oil. You really wish you could have said hi to her, but you trust that Toma will be able to tell your tale after you leave.

"Thanks, Toma," you tell him, giving him a warm smile as you wrap him in a hug. "I-we really appreciate it."

"No problem," he replies. "Just don't go off getting yourself killed, 'kay? I'd hate to have to tell the others that Altera got you."

There's a smidge of bitterness in his voice that makes you wonder what else has happened in Bethma that he's not telling you. "We should get going," you mumble. "Seriously. Thanks. I think we'd be lost without you here."

"Just stay alive, kick ass, and make a change," he says, probably mostly to Eve. "And may the Lady of El smile upon you all."

"Elspeed," you tell him. "Thanks again, Toma."

As you walk out the door, Toma pulls Elsword aside for a moment, telling him something that you can't quite pick up. Whatever it is, Elsword goes red and begins to chuckle nervously. "What do you mean? I don't-I can't-"

"Just go with it," Toma says smugly, shoving Elsword out the door. "Now go. You have a fight waiting for you."

He closes the door as soon as Elsword is outside. "What did he tell you?" You ask.

Elsword suddenly goes even more red. "Don't worry about it," he replies, forcing a slick smile. "Eve and Chung are already off. We're behind schedule."

"It's been, what, twenty seconds?" You snark back at him. "Tell you what. Let's make this a game. First one back to rendezvous point wins. Points are deducted for innocent people harmed and buildings destroyed."

A bit of a maliciously playful fire ignites in Elsword's eyes as he laughs. "It's on."

He cracks his knuckles and shoulders his baseball bat. "Let's go burn some shit."

* * *

You _really_ need to go thank Nina someday.

There's a sick, sadistic rush of adrenaline as you drench a tire in oil and roll it towards the police station in the residential zone. The oil dripping behind the tire worries you a bit, but you figure it's nowhere near anyone's house, so you can relax for now.

Bathed in the glow of the sunrise, you flick one of your many lighters to life. The whisper of a flame seems to melt into the sun as you set it in the middle of the tire.

You can't help but laugh a little as you let the tire go, the lighter flipping over as the tire rolls out from beneath it. Almost instantly, the flame catches onto the oil in the tire, igniting the entire tire in a fiery wheel of death, shuttling towards the open police station at over a hundred and fifty kilometres per hour. The screams from inside the station and the panicked officers running out tell you that your job here is done.

You turn around, intending to walk away, and instantly get knocked into the wall.

"Did you really think you could just get away with violating _ninety five percent_ of the rules like that?" The officer at your throat sneers. You try to catch your breath, but he's still holding you up by the front of your hoodie. Any longer and you'll start to go blue from lack of oxygen. "What do you think you're doing, you little bastard?"

As his knee collides with your stomach, you let go of the breath you'd been holding onto, gasping out in pain and sheer surprise as you drop the ground. "You should be at the bottom of the ocean," snarls the officer.

Again and again, he kicks you, and between the flashes of pain you try to reach for the taser in your bag, but _it's too far away_ and you can't reach it-

But then there's a slim shadow above his head, and then a sharp _crack_ as the telltale red baseball bat crashes down on his head.

Elsword stands triumphant in the sunlight, shit-eating grin plastered to his face, as the officer collapses to the ground. "Does that count as a one up on you?" He asks, reaching to pull you up. "Oh gosh, you've got some pretty nasty scrapes…"

He immediately drops to the ground, baseball bat forgotten for the moment, and starts dusting off the dirt on your beautiful white hoodie. "I'm gonna murder this fucker," he mutters, blowing lightly on one of the scrapes on your knees.

"You probably already have," you mumble, fixated on the blood that's slowly trickling out of the officer's head. "Thanks, Cherry."

The two of you work in silence, as Elsword bandages up your wounds and you make him stand up straight so you can treat the rather nasty cut on his arm. "Nice job you did on the police station," he comments after what must have been an eternity of silence. "It's still up in flames."

"That, my dear, is the product of several frying pans full of motor oil and kerosene," you snicker, "strategically placed around the station and connected with copious amounts of string. Quite the system, isn't it?"

"Beautiful," he agrees, rolling his shoulder as he looks over his new armband of bandages. "We need to keep going now."

An explosion rocks the ground at your feet, and you're pretty sure it wasn't from the flaming police station. "Shit," you mutter, leaning down to grab the baseball bat and hand it to Elsword. "That's probably Chung and Eve. We need to get going."

"Wait."

You whirl around. Elsword looks like he has more to say, but he reaches around into his backpack and extracts a mason jar of all too familiar blue liquid. "Kerosene," he explains simply. "My sister gave me a ton before we left Feita. Figured you should have one, just in case."

You take the kerosene and shove it into your pocket-gently. "Fantastic," you mutter, hand on your pocket so you don't drop the jar and release the fire. "Thanks, Cherry. Time to go."

The square that was supposed to be your rendezvous point is a mess of broken bodies, charred roads and the scent of burning flesh. "A little late to the party, aren't you?" Chung calls over the chaos, swinging his Destroyer around in a wide radius and knocking away a handful of officers before hefting it onto his shoulder and launching a rocket into a group coming in from a side street.

"Nah, we were just cleaning up the police station," Elsword replies, swinging his baseball bat and hitting some officer with so much force that the officer's entire body goes flying into a wall. "Aisha, heads!"

You get the message and hit the deck as Elsword swings the bat, knocking away another officer. "Home run," he says, grinning.

"Guys, this is an issue," Eve shouts. "These aren't police officers from Bethma anymore. There are Alteran badges in this mess."

The loud sound of footsteps approaches the square. Suddenly the kick to your stomach starts aching again. "Crap."

Eve and Chung back up to you and Elsword, the four of you all on edge. "They're surrounding us," Chung realizes, fingers faltering as he tries to load another rocket in. "They're coming in from all sides."

The streets flicker, and suddenly the cloaking melts off four squadrons of Alteran troops. "Surrender now to Commander Nasod's will," says the man at the head of the group, tall and heavily armored.

"What business do you have with my friends and I, Scorpius?" Eve growls, hand on her holter. "Get out of Bethma before I obliterate you."

"Your brother has _ordered_ that you are to be returned to Altera," he replies, his troops still moving forwards. "I am simply doing this in the least violent way possible."

"Is surrounding us with armored, armed troops your idea of "least violent"?" Elsword demands, raising his baseball bat with one hand.

You feel someone tap on your hand-the one that's shielding the jar of kerosene. Turning your head slowly, you catch Elsword's gaze and nod ever so slightly, once.

"That is irrelevant," the Scorpius guy continues. "Surrender immediately, or we will have to take action."

"Not if I take action first," Chung roars, visor flipping up into action as he finishes loading his canister and launches it into the crowd. Black armor and bloody parts go flying as the rocket explodes, and everyone rushes at you.

You rip the kerosene out of your pocket, lobbing it as far as you can into the rows of troops. As soon as it hits the ground, you hear screaming and smell flames.

This must be why Elesis loves this stuff so much.

Elsword is digging jar after jar of kerosene out of his bag, strategically throwing them into the troops, as you finally reach your taser, take off the cap, and plunge it into a shield. It arcs over to the next interconnected shield, and the next, until an entire line of Alteran soldiers are shaking from the electricity arcing through their shields and armor.

Eve, on the other hand, is engaging in a dance of laser pistol versus some sort of blaster. While Scorpius does have the more powerful weapon, Eve is lighter, quicker, and most importantly smarter. She ducks under your outstretched arm as you jab your taser into some soldier's helmet, jumps off Elsword's baseball bat and knocks off Scorpius' helmet with an expertly placed shot.

"Give up, Scorpius," she snarls, and it's an ugly, ugly sound that you never thought you'd hear Eve make. "You may have the superiority in numbers, but my friends and I will decimate you, and my brother, and every single one of you filthy monsters in Altera."

"You seem to forget, Lady Nasod, that I can simply call for reinforcements," he says, and suddenly you understand how they got here so quickly, especially after you destroyed the police station. "Your brother is currently _en route_ from Elder as we speak. I can, and will, kill you and every single one of your friends if needed."

He laughs to himself, and it's such a _cruel_ laugh, before he raises his blaster again. "And I will start with you, right here and now."

You see Eve launch herself into the air almost instantly, but the light of the shot comes just as fast.

And then Scorpius is falling, a bloody hole in the middle of his forehead, as Eve crashes back to the ground. "EVE!" Chung screams, and the Alteran troops surge in on him.

Elsword desperately searches his pockets for more kerosene, but there's none left. You feel strong hands tearing your taser away from you, ripping Elsword's baseball bat away from him and throwing it into the fountain, hands of wrath that grab your shoulders and rip you away from Elsword's grasp.

And even though you're being hoisted through the air, all you can focus on is Eve, _Eve_ , lying hopelessly on the ground with the horrible red flowers blossoming across her blouse, and then even her, gone, taken by the terrible hands of fate.

You spot the baseball bat sitting in the fountain. The red paint and blood are both coming off, making the water a murky red.

Your last thought is that _you've failed Bethma_.

And then it all goes dark.

* * *

 **A/N: It's literally midnight what am I doing**

 **gomen for like 5 week hiatus, I did a stupid thing and did physics in summer school**

 **in case you were wondering what that did for my soul I realized halfway through writing that I could calculate the speed at which Aisha's wheel of fire collides with the police station (assuming the police station is 100m away)**

 **I regret everything but not staying up to write bc _I do that anyways ahahaha_**

 **~Marg**


	14. Chapter 13

SPECTRUM

By MargaritaDaemonelix

Chapter 13

"CHUG! CHUG! CHUG!"

Ciel gives you a stern glare over the rim of his glass, but he continues to chug his beer like there's no tomorrow. Beside him, Steel and Add are chugging equally large glasses while Kenta and her waitresses whoop behind them. Everyone is screaming (except maybe Steel's dad) and no one is without booze.

Except you. Even Steel's dad has a tankard of beer, which he's sipping slowly while his daughter aggressively chugs hers. You get the feeling that Sdeing has given up on trying to get a hold on Steel at this point. She's a wild girl, just like Ara, and can't be contained.

Kenta was nice enough to mix you a Shirley Temple, though. You're slowly making your way through that as the night goes on, and your friends work through dangerous quantities of beer. It's kinda funny, watching them drink so much all at once, because Ciel never has more than a glass of red wine in the evenings.

Add suddenly splutters on his beer, sending it splashing out of his glass and onto the clean tabletop. Everyone goes silent as he cough, takes a breath, and keeps going. There's no way he's going to catch up, though-both Ciel and Steel are more than three-quarters of their way through, while he's only at about half.

Steel gulps down the last of her drink and slams her glass on the table, victorious. "WINNER," she hollers, a huge grin on her face. "Suck on that, kidddies!"

Ciel finishes his beer and sets the glass on the table, as money begins exchanging hands behind him. "Congrats, Steel," he says wryly, giving her a fistbump. "I'll have to one up you next time, then."

"Oh please," Steel snickers, "I'd like to see you try."

Add, on the other hand, is mopping up the table with a wet dishcloth that Kenta grabbed from the counter. "If Ara were here, she'd destroy all three of us," he comments. You figure he's probably ignoring the large splatter on his dress shirt on purpose. "Let's face it, she's a monster when it comes to competitions."

"Where is the cutie?" One of the waitresses asks, a little _too_ dreamily. "She's not off getting herself killed, is she?"

"Nah," Add says. "She ruined the soles of her shoes the other day, so she's getting supplies to make new ones."

It still throws you off that Ara is such a powerful seamstress. In the few days that she's been in Lanox, she's made all four of you new clothes, and repaired the tears in your old ones. While Ciel is certainly better at getting stains out, Ara can pull together your torn jeans and make them look brand new again. It must be one of those magical talents that she just happens to have.

She made her shoes herself, too. The soles are detachable from the tight fabric that wraps around the rest of her foot, and she can easily make new ones. Tightly-crocheted nylon yarn is her go-to for her soles, since they're soft, flexible, and allow her to run almost soundlessly.

The only downside is that she needs to make new ones often, because it's hard to wash blood out of anything nylon. Hydrogen peroxide, which is effective for getting blood out of anything else, can pretty much dissolve nylon.

Ara's been stuck with bloody soles for the past week. Ciel refuses to let her wear her shoes into the apartment, so she's out buying more nylon yarn while the rest of you hang out at Kenta's bar with the Holgates.

"Don't you think she's been out for a little too long, though?" Steel comments offhandedly. "I mean, it's Ara. She can't be out forever unless something's _really_ bothering her."

"Maybe she got kidnapped," you suggest.

About ten people give you equally incredulous looks. "Okay, okay, so not kidnapped," you laugh sheepishly. "Right. Weapons."

"Ahh, don't worry about me, Miss Lu, I'm pretty sure I'd be the one kidnapping people!"

The bell on the doorframe jingles as Ara steps in and lets the door close, a smile on her face and a bounce in her step. You zero in on the plastic bag she's swinging around in her hand, which nearly smacks Add in the face. "I got plenty of nylon yarn," she announces, "enough to make, like, two pairs!"

"Knowing you, they won't last more than two weeks," Add snarks, prompting Ara to flick him in the forehead.

"We should start heading back to the city," Ciel says, standing up and reaching for his wallet. "Thank you for entertaining our shenanigans, Kenta. Sorry about making a fuss."

"No problem, no problem," she chuckles, taking the bill and handing him back a handful of coins. "It was getting a little too quiet around here anyways. You folks from the big city make things interesting. It's not everyday I get epic beer chugging competitions in my bar."

You quickly finish your Shirley Temple (which you swear must be 101% strawberry juice) and hand the glass to Kenta, who sets it on the counter to wash later. "Keep an eye on these kids, Lu," she chuckles, "I feel like you're the only one who hasn't had any booze tonight."

You're about to argue that no, technically Ara also hasn't had anything to drink, but Ara is flirting with the waitress who was making dreamy eyes at the sheer thought of her earlier. The poor girl is pretty much in hysterics, as Ara writes her number down for her.

Not that the number works, of course. Ara's phone doesn't even have a SIM card, because that would be a great beacon for her brother to track her down through. She'll probably leave some number she got from another cute girl she's met, from Sander or Altera or wherever.

Ara is quite fond of matchmaking, whether or not the pairing actually works out. You suddenly see exactly why Kenta named you as the only truly sober person left in this group.

"Well," Add says, holding the door open as you, Ciel and Ara shuffle out, "that was a wild ride. I hope getting all that yarn justified dropping the rest of us in the most wild bar on this side of the plateau."

Ara snorts. "Oh please," she scoffs, "you should see Sander."

Your mind immediately flashes back to ten years ago, younger you(older you?) with a well-toned date, in the dingy little basement down the pothole. Sure, he was cute, and really kind for a boy from Sander, but the police storming in to take him to Lanox on charges of theft and shoplifting was… rather unexpected, to say the least.

You haven't gone on a date since.

"Gotta hand it to Ara for this one," you pipe. "If you thought people living by a dormant volcano were wild, wait till you see the people in the desert."

"Absolute animals," Ara agrees, expression firm.

Ciel and Add exchange a look, and suddenly you know you and Ara have slipped into Memory Lane Mode, aka. Bitterness In regards to The Childhoods we Had/Hated.

"C'mon, guys," Ara laughs, "let's go home. Didn't you just pull a new batch of cookies out of the oven before we left, Ciel?"

There's a hoot in the night as the four of you walk through the streets of Ifritan Village, thinking of the new cookies. Maybe they'll still be warm when you get back!

* * *

What none of you know is that you'll never come back to Ifritan Village again.

* * *

While Ciel doesn't really have a set bedtime for you, he insists that you have to wash your hair right after dinner, to make sure it dries properly. With Ara here, the two of you now take turns washing each other's hair, then Ara's wig. Ciel occupies the bathroom later to give Eun her bath, and then Add goes to take his two-minute shower and eight-hour pampering session in front of the mirror.

As Ara dries your hair off, she tells you stories of her travels across Elrios during her eight years in the dark. She's been virtually everywhere, under every alias possible, but she's never stayed in one place for longer than a few months. "The longest I stayed in one place was just shy of three months," she muses. "Altera. Ah, what a miserable shithole of a city."

"Was it really that bad?" You ask, wincing as her fingers pop through a knot in your hair.

"Nah," she admits. "I was doing work undercover with Add, so I didn't get to the icky stuff, but I also had to pretend to be his maid while I was there."

You mentally conjure the image of Ara in a short black dress, all white lace and thigh highs and apron, and immediately gag at the thought. "Not my cup of tea."

"Oh, I know," she laughs. "Every time Add had visitors, I'd have an aneurysm and then some. The maids in Altera, especially in the Core, they don't get a lot of freedom. A lot of them are more or less slaves. Good handful are practically sex dolls for their masters."

As her anger rises, you can feel her aggressively tug on your hair. "There was that one time Add's stupid neighborhood came over." She pauses. "Johannes Alterasia. The son of the creator of the original Alterasia formula."

You know Alterasia's already a sore topic with Ara, but she keeps going. "Was polite and everything when Add was in the room," she seethes. "He leaves to get his tablet for _two minutes. Two._ The dirty fucker tries to grope me while I'm making tea in the kitchen."

A slightly sadistic grin emerges on her face. "I got my revenge, though," she says. "I heard him come in, so when he tried to make a pass at me, I threw hot tea at his face. I'm pretty sure I ruined his suit entirely."

"Did Add have other house staff?" You ask.

Ara suddenly grows very quiet. "None," she says. "He doesn't believe in slavery, paid or not."

The silence afterwards bears down on you as Ara finishes drying your hair. "Hey Ara," you suddenly ask, having remembered something, "you and Add were the ones who busted me out of Altera, right?"

"Yeah. Was a hell of a night, too. Why?"

"Uh…" you try to think back to Add's exact words that night. Even though the event lies at the very edge of your new memories, it's still rather blurry. "Add told me my name was Lu. Why didn't you guys just tell me my name was Luciela?"

Ara stares at you, then suddenly breaks into laughter. "Oh god," she chortles. "This is such a personal thing, and I don't think you'll remember it, but when you babysat me, I was, like, four, and I couldn't pronounce your name, so you let me call you Lu for short.""

The fact that it all came from something as mundane and _stupid_ as that makes you collapse over laughing, because _of course_ it would be from back then. Ara is bent over, resting her head on your back as she laughs with you.

"You two, hurry up, you're going to miss the movie!"

The thought of not only the movie ending without you, but Add eating all the cookies, immediately brings you back to reality. "Ara, we have to go!"

She nods, and the two of you pack up in record time. "What's on tonight?" Ara asks, sitting down and leaning over to grab her incomplete crochet from the basket on the floor. "Ooh, _Laputa_. Classic. I loved this one as a kid."

The new sofa bed that Add bought to replace the last one is significantly less creaky, and after Ciel opened it up and strategically placed some trays to catch food, it's definitely more cozy. You wrestle the cookie jar out of Add's hands and sit down in your designated spot at the front of the sofa bed.

" _Pazu, I'm scared_ ," says the little girl in the television, probably not much older than yourself. " _I really don't want to go to Laputa, and I hope the Goliath beats us to it…"_

" _What?_ " Pazu looks absolutely mortified that Sheeta would so much as _think_ of giving up like that, but to be honest, you'd probably just flop over and give up yourself too.

You kinda get why Ara calls _Laputa_ a classic, but even so, you can hardly bring yourself to take the world seriously. Even as a child, you understood that air pirates were a thing of fantasy, especially after aircraft were banned from Elrios in the aftermath of the wars two hundred years ago. You immersed yourself into books in your childhood, preferring to face the harsh reality of life than to indulge in dreams like this.

If you did, you'd only end up disappointed.

" _My grandmother taught me other incantations, too,_ " Sheeta says sadly. " _Spells to find things, and to cure illnesses… And spells that I must never use._ "

" _Never?_ "

" _Never. Words of destruction and of power… Grandmother told me I must know the bad words, too, but I must never say them._ "

"That sounds kinda sad," Ara comments. Her fingers are working away at her new sole, dancing freely within the yarn. "It's like, you're giving a kid the knowledge to take down an empire, and then you go and turn around and tell them they can't do it. How is she supposed to use that then?"

"It's for her own safety," Ciel counters. "And for the safety of others. You give her the knowledge to take down the empire, so that when the empire threatens her, she can keep them at bay because they _know_ she can destroy them."

"And what if she'd never been given that knowledge?" Add says, dropping his cookie into a plate and crossing his arms over his chest. "She can't protect herself or the people she loves without that weapon. It's crucial that she knows this, so she can fend off those trying to harm her."

"But then if you look at Sheeta, they're after her because she _has_ that knowledge," you interject. "They target her _because_ she can lead them to Laputa, and she's been told to never use the spells, so either way she ends up miserable and a prisoner. She can use the spell, get them to Laputa and regret it after Muska destroys it, or she can say nothing and do nothing and stay a prisoner forever."

The four of you fall into silence after that. You calmly fish another cookie out of the cookie jar and put it in your mouth. The chocolate chips have solidified, unfortunately, but at least you're not burning your mouth. Ara's almost frantic crocheting slows down to a reasonable pace as you all turn your attention back to the TV.

"In the end, Sheeta is nothing without Pazu and the pirates, isn't she," Ciel muses. "You'd think a girl with so much magical potential could do so much more, but in the end, she's got so many limitations that it really restricts how much she can do."

You nod. "That's where Pazu comes in," you say. "Sheeta may not be able to do much on her own, but after Pazu and the pirates rescue her, at least she's not a prisoner anymore."

Ara's pile of yarn disappears just as quickly as the pile of cookies, and soon she's done with both soles and is moving onto the spares. _Laputa_ flickers to an end, and Ciel makes an awkward little clap as the rest of you blink the credits out of your eyes.

"What's on next?" Add grabs his phone and skims through the display. His hacking work is pretty impressive-he managed to connect the TV to literally every channel available in Elrios, including a few that even Sander doesn't have access to. The worst part of it is that he did it near effortlessly, with a few snarky comments about how it was "barely even the tip of the iceberg". "Oh wait, there's news on…"

He switches to channel one-Elrios News.

The blaring headline, in all red, immediately wakes you up.

" _Lady Nasod is currently off life support after her extensive surgery,_ " the reporter dictates, pokerface pristine and stoic. " _A representative of the Altera Core has clarified that her condition is no longer critical, and that she is alive and well. Further updates to come._ "

The last cookie crumbles to the sofa bed as Add clenches his hand into a fist. "What the fuck," he snarls. "What the _fuck_. I went through _five years_ of straight up _hell_ in that miserable dump of a city, I sat through Fucktard Nasod's interrogations, and then they up and _get themselves captured?!_ "

Ara is visibly shaken, but she puts a hand on his shoulder to calm him down. "It's not their fault," she says softly. "Eve's been injured. The only safe thing for them to do would have been to stop running and find somewhere to treat her. Where were they went they got captured?"

Add goes furiously through his cell phone, pulling up an article as he mutters profanities under his breath. "Bethma," he says, anger sinking and panic beginning to set in. "Oh god. They couldn't have gone anywhere. They were trapped."

"What about her bodyguard?" Ara asks, voice quavering. "And the kids that Elesis sent to escort them?"

"We can only pray for them," Add says, locking his phone and clasping his hands together.

Ciel wraps an arm protectively around your shoulder, and you grab onto his hand. "What can we do?" He asks. "We're stuck down here in Lanox. They're up in Altera. Clearly they need us to help them. What can we do to get them out?"

"That's an issue in and of itself," you remind him. "I'm supposed to be dead, you don't have clearance to even enter Altera, Add is a wanted criminal, and Ara is… pretty much all three."

Add brushes the cookie crumbs off the bedspread and into the palm of his hand. "Is there anyone who can intercept us in Altera right now?" He asks, turning to Ara as he dumps the crumbs into the tray. "Elesis is out of the question, I know that."

Ara bites her lip. "Gosh. We could get Blue Boy to get us in, but…"

"Not Blue Boy." Add looks mortified that she would even mention this 'Blue Boy', let alone ask him to get you all into Altera. "I don't do business for people who are that intolerant. Besides, you know he hates coming to Lanox."

"Is there anyone who's already _in_ Altera who could get us in?" Ciel suggests. "A maid, a secretary, anyone?"

"Yes, but most of them we'd have to ask through Elesis," Ara says. "I'd really like to ask the Arkwright sisters, but you know how busy they are with their company and whatnot…"

Add suddenly snaps his fingers. "I hate to do this," he says, "but it's pretty much our only choice right now. Blondie is staying in Altera right now."

"You hate her guts," Ara deadpans.

"I hate most people's guts," Add offers, shrugging shamelessly. "But compared to the hatred I have for Adam Nasod, Blondie is a fucking _angel_. I'll ask if she can get us in."

"The problem of how we're getting into Altera still stands, though," you remind him as he opens the communications app that he and Ara use. "Again, none of are safe waltzing right into Altera. If we're caught, it's immediately game over."

Ciel smiles. "I may have a solution for that," he says, "but it may take some time."

"How long?"

"Anywhere between a week to a month," he says, a sly grin beginning to emerge on his face. "Depends on how much you're willing to pay as a bribe. Oh, and whether or not we can find big enough boxes to ship ourselves to Altera in."

"Then we'll get straight to it," Add decides. "Blondie's finally come online, so I'm going pester her until she agrees to let us ship a, ah, _slightly large_ package to her apartment. Ara and Lu, can you two find us a box large and _sturdy_ enough to last us to Altera?"

"That's Miss Lu to you," you mutter. "We got it. Ara, do you think we'll need reinforcements and padding in the box?"

"Oh, definitely," she gasps. "We can get most of our supplies downtown, but I think we might need to make a trip to Steel's place for a good crate. Maybe I can rig it up so the inside can split into several sleeping spaces…"

"I'll leave that to you. Ciel," Add says, and you realize with a start that it's the first time that he's addressed him by name, "I'll leave packing and foodstuffs to you. We won't be able to leave the crate for… As long as it takes, so be sure to pack enough food for the entire trip."

He then turns back to the phone screen. "Oh, excellent. She responded. I'll handle sanitary things in the crate and ways to stave off boredom and insanity while I debate with Blondie."

Ciel turns to you as your group begins to roll off the sofa bed and into your slippers. "Miss Lu, please stay safe, but be quick," he advises. "We'll need to work fast if we want to get to Altera quickly."

… What happened to the Ciel who was all "not affiliated with the rebelliousness ion"?

You slip into your shoes as Ara grabs her new soles and attaches them to the rest of her shoe, already wrapped snugly around her ankles. "Easy. Are you ready to go, Miss Lu?"

You grin. Maybe this is the kind of adventure you wanted as a kid before reality overtook you.

"Ready as I'll ever be."

* * *

DiE: hello

DiE: I see you are online

DiE: ANSWER ME GODDAMMIT BLONDIE WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY ON OUR HANDS

OP: a) goodbye

OP: b) no im not

OP: c) wow if youre using capslock it must really be an emergency

DiE: it is

OP: such wow

OP: much amaze

OP: whats up

DiE: I don't know if you've heard, but they've caught Eve

OP: oh no of course not

OP: its not like im literally living in a guest suite in her building oh no

DiE: would you just stop with the sarcasm for two fucking minutes

OP: aight aight sarcasm ceased

OP: are you planning a breakout

DiE: well I can't exactly let my assignment fail

DiE: after I spent FIVE YEARS IN HELL

OP: appreciate the passive aggressive screaming

OP: plz direct it elsewhere

DiE: I'm screaming at fucktard nasod, not you

DiE: if you want I can arrange for that though

OP: moving on

OP: what can i do for you this fine evening

DiE: it's like 2 in the morning

OP: shhhhhhhh

DiE: are you still stationed in Altera a week from now

OP: i can arrange for myself to be stationed in altera for the next three years if i need to

OP: why do you think im the mole now

OP: didn't you arrange for me to be the mole

DiE: LET ME FINISH

DiE: assuming I'm able to bribe this guy's contact enough with what I have

DiE: can I send a large package to your place a week from you?

OP: tank size or car size?

DiE: depends on what Ara finds

OP: ohhhh youre working with ara for this one

OP: (tell her i said hi!)

DiE: noted.

OP: (and her fox too!1)

DiE: are you just a large child trapped in the body of a 26 year old

OP: large child trapped in the body of a 25 year old thank you very much

OP: be kind to your elders you son of a diet coke

DiE: either way can you receive the package

OP: sure

OP: wait my floor is tiny af

OP: do you want to like send it to your place instead

DiE: nah, that'll attract attention

DiE: friendly reminder that I'm public enemy number 1 now

DiE: rent an apartment or something

DiE: we just need to drop off the package in Altera and then things will take care of themselves

OP: lmao sure

OP: but uh

OP: if you dont mind me asking

OP: what exactly are you shipping to altera that requires me to intercept it?

DiE: fragile cargo

[DiabolicEsper66] has logged off

OP: what the fuck add

OP: yOU CANT JUST LEAVE THAT THERE AND DISAPPEAR

OP: FUCK YOU TOO I GUESS

[Optimus004] has logged off.

[All participants of the chatroom have exited. Contents of the chatroom have now been cleared.]

* * *

 _Eight days later_

You've already spent an eternity in hell. A week more in a crate with four other people couldn't hurt. But when the shipping crate you unceremoniously loaded yourselves into is moved again, this time with the sound of Alteran technology beeping outside, you get the feeling that you're fucked.

There's a ripping sound as someone hooks a crowbar into the wooden crate and pries it open. The sunlight cascading into the box is a welcome sight, but the young woman standing in front of it is not.

You scan her over once. Her blonde hair cascades down her back, messy but not quite. It isn't really iconic to Alterans. Most Alterans have white or silver hair, and while yours fits the bill, that was because your grandmother was Alteran. Her dress flows flawlessly over her chest(great. Another girl to add to the "got big tits that Lu doesn't have anymore" club.) and her hairpin looks like it's balanced precariously in her hair. A holster on her thigh holds a shining gun, ready to be fired at any moment.

What surprises you the most, though, is her uniform's badge. All Elrian military forces are required to wear their designated symbol of their city on their shoulder. You used to have a blue four-pointed star, as a symbol of the Imperial Sander library. Hamel's infantry troops wear a white and gold wave design, while the navy troops wear the design in blue and gold. Altera's own troops wear a twelve-pointed mechanism, the centre being a gear.

This woman doesn't have any of those. Her badge is a black plaque, with a golden orb in the centre. Is she part of some secret task force that you don't know of?

It doesn't matter. Her expression is terrifying enough. She looks like she's about to eat you all. Behind her, a very tall man fully clothed in steel armor stands with an assault rifle in his arms.

"Please explain yourselves," the woman says sternly. She looks vaguely disappointed.

Add laughs nervously as he moves to the side of the crate that has finally been opened. "Ehehe… Hey, Blondie."

* * *

 **A/N: and that's it that's The Last You'll See Of These Idiots In This Book**

 **subtitle: Please Wait For The Next Book To Continue Viewing Their Stupid Adventures**

 **on the other hand I realized we're halfway through Spectrum yaaaaayy**

 **do you ever just accidentally write an English essay on one of your childhood favourite movies while writing fic and just embed it in**

 **yeah me too**

 **sorry for the late update, this time i really don't have an excuse bc i kinda just forgot to write**

 **~Marg**


	15. Chapter 14

SPECTRUM

By MargaritaDaemonelix

Chapter 14

Maybe Rena's vegetarian lifestyle has started to rub off on you. The baked cabbage she makes at dinnertime is surprisingly good.

"It's the cheese," she says as she waves her oven mitts in the air to cool them off. "And also I used a little bacon. Does that count as cheating?"

"Yes," Elesis complains, cheeks packed with cabbage. "Aren't you supposed to be a vegetarian?"

Rena smiles at you impishly. "I made you guys a pan with bacon," she says, taking a second, smaller pan out. "And then I made myself some without bacon. Besides, I can prepare meat as long as it's not too bloody."

You set down your fork so you can take the spoon out of the pan and scoop up more cabbage. "This is great," you tell her. "Thank you for making this."

"It's… No problem," she says. "Besides, I didn't come to Feita expecting to just eat other people's cooking. There's a whole world out there, I gotta experiment."

She turns to her own plate, packed with creamy sauce and tender cabbage. "I wonder if I can get some rice for this," she muses. "That's how I used to make it in Altera. Eve and Chung used to love it."

Not only the baked cabbage graces the table. Stir-fried spicy tofu sits in its own large bowl, steaming and red with chili oil. The skin on the tofu breaks open to reveal its tender white insides, easily crushed under your spoon. A plate by the large pan holds lightly grilled chicken breast, seasoned with a little salt and pepper and just enough garlic to make a statement. Little bread rolls from the local bakery line a wicker basket that Rena only brings out from the fridge at meals.

Dinner with Rena and Elesis is strange, almost feeling familial but at the same time a little lacking somewhere. Rena and Elesis swap embarrassing stories of the happenings in Altera and those in Feita, and tonight, you feel like joining in on the storytelling.

"My friend, Praus," you begin, "didn't always make his own jewelry. He was first a chef's assistant in a small restaurant, and his mum and grandmother ran the shop. But he went back to the shop a few years ago, and there's a very stupid story as to how it happened."

You smirk. "There was a girl in my class when I went to school in Velder. Her name is Hanna. I remember walking in on the first day and being absolutely terrified because Hanna had grabbed a boy by the collar and was threatening to castrate him."

Elesis looks vaguely traumatized. Rena is smiling, though there's a crease in her eyebrows that tell you there's something more on her mind.

"Anyways, Hanna was from Elder, right? So after we graduated, she went back to Elder," you continue. "But three, four years ago, she came back to Velder to start a small shop in the suburbs, right next to Praus' family jeweler."

"Oh no," Rena says weakly.

"Praus was _utterly_ smitten," you chuckle. "Hanna… Not so much. We were strolling around town with Noel one day, and she came out of her shop, and Praus kind of just sank to his knees and cried. I think Hanna just looked at us, rolled her eyes and went back indoors."

Elesis cackles like a hag. Rena looks scandalized.

"Anyways, Praus moved back to the curios shop soon after that." You tell them. "But Hanna wasn't interested in the slightest. You haven't seen Praus ugly sobbing before, but it was frankly pretty funny. I don't think he'd ever looked so hurt, even though he'd never even talked to Hanna before."

The thought of Praus moping across the counter in your tiny apartment brings a smile to your face. _I'm definitely a bad friend,_ you think, a little silliness and guilt all at once.

"So Praus dropped his job as the chef's assistant and went back to the shop… Just as the rent period on Hanna's first storefront ran up and she moved away." You spread your hands sheepishly. "And he's been there since, but hey, he's happier now, and so are his family."

"That's… A good ending to that story," Rena hums, getting up to reach an empty dish on the other side of the table. "Thank you for sharing."

Elesis nods, gulping down a large chunk of chicken breast. "I remember when you called Praus way back when," she says. "I think he was trying to corner a hamster or something and was asking you for help."

"Oh yeah." You suddenly recall Praus screaming incoherent words into the speaker, a small creature squeaking in the background. You're pretty sure Noel had _something_ to do with it, but Praus insisted your other friend had nothing to do with the issue. "And he called in the middle of the night, too. Woke me up instantly."

As Rena washes the dishes, she shoos you and Elesis off to clean the house ("go vacuum the second floor, for El's sake, it's been nearly a month"). You have no clue as to where anything is stored, though. Elesis drags you upstairs to the one remaining empty bedroom, where a tiny vacuum cleaner sits in the corner, broken.

"Great," you mutter. "Do you want me to fix this?"

Elesis shakes her head as she closes the door softly. "We need to talk," she says, eyes steely. "Serious business."

You find the nearest corner of the empty bed that isn't covered in papers (sheet music? You didn't know Elesis played any instruments) and sit down. "I'm sold."

Elesis plops herself in front of you on the floor, legs crossed, as she starts to fiddle with the broken vacuum cleaner. "I think I might have found Seris. Raven, hear me out," she pleads as you get up, unwilling to hear more. "Please. You're sinking further and further into the void. Seris is a broken end in your life, and we need to fix that."

It hurts, how much she's right. You hate that she's caught you by the collar, but she's right, you're drowning in your thoughts and it'll eat your heart from the inside out.

For a kid you treat like a daughter, Elesis sure is good at connecting the dots. Her smile is no longer as bright as it was five years ago, when she was just a teenaged girl trying to plow down an army. A sort of weariness lines her face, and with a start you realize it reminds you of yourself from back then.

"Fine," you tell her. "But make it quick. We have a house to clean."

"Aight, then," Elesis says, getting up. "Can we… I dunno, leave? I don't want Rena to hear… yet."

You shrug. "Fine by me. What excuse are you gonna pull this time?"

"I don't need an excuse." She holds up the tube of the vacuum cleaner, which dangles for a few seconds before snapping off entirely. "I have a vacuum cleaner to buy."

* * *

"So you think _Rena_ is Seris," you mutter in disbelief, shaking your head and shifting your grip on the new vacuum cleaner. Seriously, why did Elesis decide it was a good idea to buy a _hot pink_ vacuum? "Elesis, I really hope you have substantial evidence for this."

"Oh, I _do_ ," she grins. "I've been collecting evidence for the past three, four hours. I spent my entire afternoon putting together my arguments for this."

That alone is enough to raise a few alarms. Elesis has trouble concentrating on most things. If she's really _that_ determined to prove this, you're in for a wild ride.

"First and foremost," she says, kicking a bit of asphalt, "you know as well as I do that Seris wasn't her real name."

"Yeah," you admit. "But what does that have anything to do with Rena?"

Elesis gives you an exasperated look. "Jeez, Raven. Seris was an amalgamation of her first name and middle name that became her nickname. One of her friends probably gave her that nickname. Her real name was Serena Isabel. Se _rena_. Do you not see the connection there?"

"That's not how her name is pronounced, Elesis," you tell her.

"Yes, but did the Alterans care when they brainwashed her and fed her a bunch of lies?" She retorts, glaring. "They probably just took a chunk of her first name and altered the pronunciation because they were lazy. Even the last name she goes by now - Lire - is like, just a few letters out of Seris' last name. Erindel minus Lire is _end_ , Raven. Wake up."

You shake your head. "Elesis, don't you think you're blowing this out of proportion a little? You're starting to sound a bit like a conspiracy theorist."

Elesis grins sheepishly. "Alright, so that one's a little far fetched," she says. "But I got more arguments. Let's put things into a timeline. The rebellion ended October 13th, which is five years ago. Rena says the day she woke she woke up was December 2nd. Two months is plenty enough for the Alterans to abduct her, sew her up, and brainwash her entirely."

The words _sew her up_ bring a small grimace to your face. "She was dead," you remind her softly. "I watched her-"

"-Get stabbed through the stomach?" She says, smiling smugly. "Yeah. Might want to confer with Rena about that one. She has a few secrets of her own as well."

Her gaze softens. "Rena keeps saying things that remind me of Seris," she says. "She told me that I needed to get sleep, just like Seris used to. If it's like this for me, I can't begin to imagine what it feels like for you."

"It hurts," you admit quietly, feeling a tiny weight lift off your shoulders as you expel the words. "I don't want to hate Rena, but I keep pushing my problems onto her, even though I know she doesn't deserve it."

The words feel hollow to you. You keep telling yourself that Rena's supposed to be your friend, that she's not Seris, but with the nightmares and this new information from Elesis, you can't tell the difference between your dreaming and waking hours anymore. You _know_ you're going to go back to Elesis' apartment and be cold to Rena all over again, pretend she doesn't exist so you don't have to acknowledge Seris' death.

Elesis smiles sadly. "That's why I'm scared," she tells you. "The two of you are going to tear each other apart if Rena's memories don't return soon. But first and foremost, you've got to accept that in any case, Seris is dead. Even if Rena does turn up to be Seris, her personality has re-established itself as Rena, and she'll still live under this identity despite her memories as Seris."

"..." You squint at her, adjusting your grip on the vacuum. "Did you talk to a doctor or something about this?"

"Well… I got the head doctor from the hospital to prescribe her some medication," Elesis says. "But most of that was Allegro. He's writing a paper on neurological trauma right now, and amnesia was one of the things he'd been researching."

You shake your head. "Allegro's going to go places someday," you mutter, "and I really hope that's not jail."

Elesis smacks you lightly on the prosthetic. "But yeah, Allegro says whatever the Alterans gave Rena is currently locking up her memories. The medication that the head doctor prescribed her is basically taking a huge bunch of keys, and it's trying to match those up to the locks on each memory."

"So it'll take a long time to actually do anything substantial," you conclude, a little dejectedly.

"Mmm, maybe, maybe not," she hums. "The human body is a mechanical marvel. She'll be remembering things lickety-split."

You shudder. "That's good to know, but please, never use the words _lickety-split_ ever again."

* * *

Elesis shoos you and Raven out of the house after they come back with the vacuum cleaner, saying something along the lines of letting you take a break.

You're not very tired, though. You made dinner for three, which was simple, and you mopped the lower level of Elesis's house, which was even simpler. Now that Elesis has replaced the old vacuum cleaner (with a bright pink one, no less), she can properly clean the upper story as well.

"Did Elesis choose the new cleaner herself?" You ask, smirking as you try to match your pacing with Raven.

He nods. "I mean, it's her vacuum now," he says. "I hope she doesn't regret it in the future."

The image of Elesis whistling while pushing around the _aggressively pink_ vacuum cleaner fills your mind and puts a laugh on the tip of your tongue. "Let's hope she won't."

Just yesterday, while you and Raven were running errands around the city, you found a small coffeeshop, hidden within the rock of the mountain. Tucked far back into the city, it's really nothing more than just a little room with a counter, an espresso machine and a handful of chairs. You figure its position puts it at an economic disadvantage from the majority of the population, but the steady flow of high school students flowing in probably keeps it afloat.

You and Raven had decided that you'd grab a coffee to go when you were less busy. Now, with an open evening break at your fingertips, the two of you wander towards the coffeeshop to find yourselves some caffeinated drinks.

It's a fairly warm evening for April, but there's a pleasant chilly breeze that wafts through Feita's streets that makes you tug your warm cardigan a little closer. "Are you going to get a warm drink, Raven?" You ask.

He keeps staring ahead, but his lips twitch upwards. "I think I'll probably get whatever's the simplest thing on the menu," he says. "What's a latte supposed to be? I can't tell the distance between lattes and cappuccinos. I'd like my caffeine directly, thank you very much."

You pause to think for a moment, because you're certain Eve has explained this before. "I think lattes are mostly milk, and cappuccinos are mostly milk foam," you recall. "Ahh, it doesn't matter either way. Just a normal coffee is good to me."

The scent of slightly burnt espresso and hazy steamed milk drift through the little coffeeshop, hitting you with the full force of a dark roast as you and Raven push open the door and step through. It's really nothing more than a room, but the quantity of customers seems to have died down significantly compared to the afternoons.

"Good evening," the barista greets, dressed in a faded hoodie and fading apron. "What can I get you this evening?"

"Just a regular coffee," Raven grunts. "What did you want, Rena?"

"Um…" You glance up at the menu. "I'll take a _café au lait_ , please."

"Certainly."

They turn to the espresso machine behind them while you fish your wallet out of your cardigan and pull out a handful of bills. The scent of rich coffee fills the room as the steam in the espresso machine gurgles and percolates. You take in a deep breath and inhale it all, letting the taste of the coffee-infused air settle onto your tongue.

The barista turns back with two steaming paper cups, each dark and mysterious. Your mouth parts a little in confusion; didn't you order café au lait?

But then the barista is grabbing a small kettle from the stove where it had been heating up, and pours the warmed milk into one cup expertly. "What kind of pattern do you want?"

You think for a moment. "Can you do a leaf?"

They pour a beautiful, simple leaf within moments. "Sugar and milk are over there, on the table," they tell Raven as they hand both drinks over. "That'll be twenty-two for the café au lait, miss, and fifteen for the regular."

Before Raven can move, you slap a fifty bill on the counter. "Keep the change," you blurt, smiling brightly (awkwardly).

The barista looks a little confused, but they accept the bill nonetheless, bowing their head softly. "Thank you, miss, sir. Have a nice day."

"What was that about?" Raven whispers as you put your coffee in a cardboard sleeve and look around for a plastic lid. "Rena, that was… Startling, to say the least."

You manage a smile. "That barista is probably a broke college student," you tell him. "I have more money than I know what to do with. They deserve it more than I do."

Raven is silent as he stirs half-and-half and brown sugar into his coffee. You bring your cup to your lips and inhale liquid earth, rich and dark and full of life.

You haven't had a good cup of coffee in a long time. The instant coffee that you sometimes snag from the market in Velder will never hold a candle to the coffee you've had in Altera. Sure, Eve was more of a tea kind of person, but there were occasions when the two of you sat down and just put a brew on.

This reminds you all too much of that - steamed milk filling the penthouse with a lazy sort of softness, failed attempts at pouring those pretty flowers into the coffee, Chung coming up from two floors down just to sneak a sip. It's nostalgic, but it doesn't hurt like you'd expected it to.

This is a new memory, after all, with a new friend. Raven finishes mixing his drink, caps it and lifts it to his lips. "Woah," he says. "That's stronger than I expected."

You laugh airily. "That's because you're used to sad instant coffee," you muse. "This is real coffee."

The barista waves goodbye as the two of you leave the little coffeeshop behind, closing the door softly as you go and feeling the breeze join you once more. It laps at the opening of the lid on your coffee, tugs at your hair, strokes your face.

This is a good evening. You have coffee, you're on a break, and at Raven's suggestion, you've also picked up a package of apple fries from the food stall where Elesis's friend works. Vivace packs a little plastic cup of mayonnaise, snaps the lid on, and tucks it in, as a dip.

You wish that Eve and Chung could taste these someday. Alteran grocery store-level frozen apple fries are a joke, and the apple fries that Eve calls up from the kitchen are clearly made with art in mind and more the taste. While Vivace's apple fries are a little misshapen and more often than not a little mushy, you know that she takes pride in the taste and appearance of her food.

Alteran food carries the effect of an art gallery: painstaking to make, beautiful to look at, perfectly sterilized. Velder's food is meant for nourishment, to provide energy and nutrition for the day using the least amount of materials. Feita's food tastes like home. It fills the stomach and warms the heart. It tastes like the childhood you don't have.

There's a small park not far from the market, with a small playground where the children of Feita play. You smile as you pass by, watching a young girl climb to the top of the slide and slide down, laughing. A few boys are arguing over the swing.

It's almost nostalgic, watching them play like this. You're not sure how you grew up, but you can only hope it was as kind as this.

Memories are flowing back to you slowly, albeit against your will. The medication that the head doctor prescribed for you is slowly revealing your past, and it hurts. Raven's story about Hanna threatening to castrate someone feels painfully familiar, like you were there to witness it. A memory of blood and screaming and someone's bloodied knife fly back to you, reminding you once more why you don't eat red meat anymore.

Worse of all, you're _absolutely certain_ that your name in your past life was not Rena. Everything the Alterans told you is fading away, and you can't be sure as to who you are anymore.

There really aren't many places to sit down and enjoy some coffee in the city, so you lead Raven out, onto the side of the mountain. Most of the waste from the bomb has been cleared, and the remains of the outer city has been cleaned up. There were a few bodies found under the rubble: an old woman who was trapped in her shop, a man whose foot was broken by a falling building. They've been given proper burials, but the blood that stains the outer city remains a bitter reminder of Altera's cruelty.

For a moment, you think of Eve and Chung, who left Altera altogether after the bomb dropped. You pull your cardigan a little tighter, huddle a little closer to Raven, and climb the mountainside.

The ruins of the old temple are a little scorched, but they're still mostly intact. A piece of a paper bag is pinned under a large chunk of a pillar, possibly from when you and Elesis saw the bomb, just a week ago. You choose a smooth-looking rock surface and sit down, Raven coming to sit beside you.

"It's nice to see the sunset," you comment, opening the package of apple fries. "I mean, Feita is great, but coming outside to see the colours is… healing, in a way."

Raven smiles as he takes a small sip of his coffee. "Sunsets in Velder used to be nice," he says, "before all the pollution clouded the sky. I remember taking walks in the evenings with Henry just to take photos of all the clouds."

You envision that for a moment, an aging man with kind eyes watching a younger Raven point a camera towards the sky. "Yes," you agree, "I can see that."

The two of you sit in silence, eating apple fries and drinking coffee. The wind tears away the edge of the paper bag, letting it fly free into the breeze. A bird chirps overhead, flying home with its companions.

Overall, it's a good evening. You like days like this.

"Rena," Raven suddenly says, clearing his throat. "Do you- uh. This is a really weird question, but… do you hate Altera?"

You ponder for a moment. "No," you admit. "I mean, I really don't like it, but I don't hate it. Some of the people there are very nice."

Raven goes silent, and you wonder if you've said something hurtful. Even if the two of you have called a truce and a friendship, what friendship you do have is fragile, like an ice sculpture. "I told you about Aida," you prompt. "Aida is a really nice person. She likes candy and low-budget horror movies."

He raises an eyebrow. "Low budget horror movies?"

You laugh. "Remind me to show you _Night of the Dead El Monsters_ someday. It's always more fun watching it with friends. I watched it with Eve and Chung and they had a lot of fun."

"You talk about them a lot," Raven notes. "Were they your only friends?"

"Pretty much." You have to remind yourself to not bite your lip. "Altera was a pretty shitty place, I'll be honest. Everything was so sterilized and sparkling clean. It was like hell on earth, and the only angels I could talk to and hold onto were Eve and Chung.

"Eve has this really nice balcony," you muse. "It's covered in plants. We used to sit there on sunny days and drink iced tea. Sometimes we'd leave the Core and go to the park with the peach tree, and we'd just sit in the sun and play with each other's hair. There are mulberry trees there, and we'd just pick mulberries to eat and throw at each other. Sometimes we'd go to the art gallery and make fun of the artwork commissioned by past rulers of Altera, but when we came back, Master Nasod would-"

Your voice falters. You've been rambling for a while now, and only the thought of some of your more painful memories shakes you back to reality. "Oh," you manage. "I'm sorry."

Raven's expression is blank and unreadable, but he takes your hand. "Does it hurt?" He asks quietly.

"Yeah," you admit. "I mean, Eve did her best to protect Chung and I, but it wasn't their fight. I really did have it a lot better than some of the other Alteran maids."

He shakes his head. "That doesn't mean you didn't get hurt!" He snaps, before his voice softens. "I stayed in Altera for a few months for therapy, and I never heard of anything like this. How could the government condone such behaviour?"

"There's a lot boiling under the veil of Altera's perfection," you tell him. "People are used and abused all the time. Master Nasod was at least a little more humane than some of the others. The senator on the seventh floor kept a pack of girls for his personal leisure."

Raven's grip relaxes just a little bit. "Did…" He seems to be fighting for words. "Did Commander Nasod…"

"No, thankfully," you sigh. "I was working directly under Eve, so he technically wasn't allowed to do anything. How his own maids fared, I don't know. I hope they're alright."

You exhale and shut your eyes in frustration, feel the web of scars across your back and the chain of stitches on your stomach burn. "He hurt me in other ways. Master Nasod always had a way with words. And glass. I hated being summoned down to his quarters, because he'd always have a glass of champagne or wine, and usually when he was done he'd shatter it on my back."

Raven is shaking, so you reach out to hold his other hand, squeezing it lightly. "Do you have a lot of scars?" He asks.

You've told all of this to Elesis before, and that was smooth. Speaking to Raven is a lot harder for some reason. "Not too many," you assure him, even though the scars on your back tell you otherwise.

The air goes still, the breeze seeming to understand your need for silence. Before you can regret it, you blurt out a chain of words: "Can I show you?"

Raven freezes for a moment before nodding, letting go of your hands.

You turn your back to him, dropping your cardigan and undoing the first button on your dress shirt so you can slide it back and allow him to examine your scars. You know each one by heart, the pattern they form and the stories they tell.

The only scar you can't explain is the one on your stomach, and Raven doesn't need to know that. Maybe someday, when you find its story, you'll tell him.

"I have another big scar," you tell Raven as he traces the aftermath of a champagne flute on the back of your neck. "It's big enough to have needed stitches. It's on my stomach."

The finger tracing your back freezes and drops away. "On your stomach?" Raven asks weakly.

"Yeah." You shoulder your shirt back on and do the first button up. "I don't know where it's from. It's been there since I woke up in the hospital. I think I might have gotten jabbed in the stomach during my amnesia-causing injury."

Raven helps you stick your arms back into your cardigan sleeves. "Thank you, Raven," you murmur, grabbing your coffee and raising it to your lips once more. "I think I like talking to you. It's nicer than not talking to you."

"That's probably my own fault," he chuckles, though there's a bit of pain in his eyes that tell you much more. "Thank you for talking to me at all. And for buying me coffee. Yeah."

The both of you laugh as the breeze sweeps back in, bringing the scent of spring and a fading sunset. "Time to start heading back," you comment, tossing an apple fry in your mouth.

"Hey Rena," Raven says as you begin your descent down the mountain, "would it help you if you regained your memories?"

You have to think about this for a moment. Would it really benefit anyone if you remembered who you were in the past?

Eve probably already knows who you were, and in the years that you've known her, she's probably kept this away from you for your own good. There's always a chance that you could be a former criminal, or even just an actual Alteran maid.

But then again, will you really be able to sleep at night not knowing who you were?

"I think so, yes," you tell him.

Raven smiles, and it's such a pretty smile that your heart aches for him. Raven, poor broken Raven, keeping himself together for all of you.

"Then I hope you'll find your memories again soon."

* * *

 **A/N: and now back to our regularly scheduled programming**

 **do you ever need to reread your own fic to check facts? bc i do and it feels massively stupid**

 **man i took a two month long hiatus from blink but i wrote an entire other fic for my birthday! it's called _snow or ashes?_ and i'm hella proud of it so plz check it out**

 **the traditional pronunciation of Rena is "Ree-na" which is how Elesis got to Serena, but KR voice says "Rei-na" and NA voice says "Reh-na" so idk**

 **also if anyone wants my aunt's baked cabbage recipe hmu, it's great with rice**

 **i'll try and get another chapter of this fic in quickly before october ends so i can focus on nanowrimo for november but a) i'm in IB b) IOPs are a thing and c) my IOP is literally in two days save me**

 **~Marg**


	16. Chapter 15

SPECTRUM

By MargaritaDaemonelix

Chapter 15

You've been sitting in the ER waiting room in handcuffs for nearly three hours when someone finally comes over to release you.

Agatha looks vaguely amused with your adventuring. "Whaddya get up to this time, Seiker?" She grins, digitally unlocking your handcuffs. You rub your sore wrists as the cuffs fall away. "Ah, right. You sparked a nationwide manhunt, helped burn down the Commander's satellite in Bethma, killed Thomas Scorpius, destroyed a town square in Bethma, y'know, the works."

"In my defense, Eve did most of the killing Scorpius," you mutter, "and we all pitched in on screwing over the Bethma station." You pause for a moment. "How are Elsword and Aisha doing?"

"They woke up a few minutes ago, and they should be coming soon," Agatha says. "You've made friends with a feisty bunch, Seiker. Aisha literally tried to bite the guy who tried to unlock her tablet without her permission. She kept giving them the wrong password until the tablet entirely wiped itself."

You think about this for a moment. You're certain that Aisha had your common chat platform installed to the tablet, on both her account and Elsword's. You don't know about her conversation history, but you've got some pretty incriminating conversations with Elsword. She must have set the tablet to self-destruct upon enough wrong passwords entered.

You shudder. Communications, in this mess of a country, are much too risky for your own good. This uprising, if it's going to go on, has to find another way to communicate.

"Hey, let go of me!"

"Put your hands in the air, and stop struggling."

"Shut the fuck up and let go of her, you dirty-"

You'd recognize those voices anywhere. You jump up and turn the corner to find Elsword and Aisha, being frogmarched towards the emergency room. "Chung!" Elsword yells when he sees you. "Can you get these fuckers off us?"

"This is standard protocol," one of the guards drones. "We are merely following instruction."

"If I recall correctly, having your hand on someone's posterior is _not_ protocol," you snap. "I'll be taking them from here.

One of the guards frowns. "Lieutenant Seiker, we have orders-"

"And I outrank you," you remind them smugly as you pull your friends away from their grasp. "Hmm, wouldn't it be a shame if I told my father you were mistreating visitors to the Core?"

"They are prisoners, Lieutenant Seiker."

"Aren't we all," you mutter. "You are dismissed. Report back to basement three for further duty."

The guards salute you (a little mockingly), turn around and leave.

Aisha is shaking with fear. "Chung," she whispers, "what was that?"

"You can't play nice with the people in the Core," you reply. "Good job standing up to them, both of you. Keep it up - you'll need it.

"Speaking of people who don't play nice," Elsword says, "isn't that Commander Nasod?"

It is, unfortunately, Adam. He storms towards you, covered in blood that is not his own. "What did you do to my sister," he hisses, picking you up by your collar. You can feel the fabric dig into the back of your neck, but you ignore it for now.

"I did nothing to Eve," you tell him in the flattest voice you can muster. "What you did to her, on the other hand, is a marvel."

Out of the corner of your eye, you can spot Aisha making little crosses with her fingers, trying to get you to shut up. Even Elsword looks like he disapproves of your tactic. But you've had enough with Adam, and you've had enough of his bullying Eve.

"You gave her access to exactly three people other than you yourself," you remind him, "her handmaid, her shitty fiance, and me. Out of those three, you put one in the Tunnel and abused another. Honestly, Adam, you've done a horrible job as Eve's older brother."

Adam snarls at you, dropping you on the floor and giving you access to oxygen again. "You are an insolent _creature_ ," he says. "Brainwashing my sister, finding her _lowblood friends_ , enabling her to run away! If it weren't for the fact that your father is one of my most powerful pawns, I'd have you executed."

He turns on Elsword and Aisha. "And you two! Lowbloods," he spits. Elsword looks like he's ready to tear Adam to pieces. "Did you really think you could get away with burning my station in Bethma? Say your little goodbyes now, because I'll have you two begging for mercy at the hands of the Alterasia tomorrow."

"You will do nothing of the kind."

Your eyes turn to the operating room door, where Eve is standing, towing an IV drip behind her. "Eve!" You exclaim, rushing to her side.

"I am unhurt, Chung," she assures you softly, laying her hand on yours before turning on her brother. "What do you think you're doing, Adam?"

"I'm doing what's best for you and the entire nation," he growls. "What do you think you're doing, Evangeline? Have you sunk so low as to invite - what are these, college students? - into the Core of Altera, of our nation? This is a national landmark and a government building, not a student hostel! Furthermore, they are now prisoners of the state. Do you really want to dirty your reputation with them?"

"Adam, these are my _friends_ ," Eve says, voice steely. "Just as you let your friends into Altera, I will welcome them to _my_ penthouse, where we _will not be harmed in any way_. Understood?"

"Evangeline-"

Eve raises a hand, and before any of you can even blink, she extends it out to slap Adam Nasod clean across the face, leaving a bright red palmprint. "I would also advise against calling my friends lowbloods. Their hearts and words are much cleaner and kinder than yours." Her glare is piercing. "Now, Adam, _leave us the fuck alone._ "

Adam looks reluctant, but Eve continues to stare him down, and he runs off like a wolf with its tail between its legs, muttering profanities under his breath and rubbing his sore cheek. You sigh in relief, squeezing Eve's hand gently.

"Eve! How'd you come out of there so quickly?" Asks Aisha, immediately dashing to Eve's side once Adam turns the corner. "Didn't they put you under anesthesia?"

She shrugs, a sly grin emerging on her face. "Not general anesthesia," she offers. "Now let us hurry up to my penthouse before I pass out in the middle of the emergency room."

* * *

Your penthouse brings back ugly memories of the night you left.

For one, the shattered remains of your laptop have mostly been removed, but the battery pack remains on the table where you threw it in your attempt to escape. A bag of bird food that you didn't manage to cram in your duffel bag lies untouched in the corner. Your legs feel cold without Chung's beautifully designed boots wrapped around them.

First order of business: you need to find some clothes. Running around in nothing but a hospital frock is not fun, especially when you're still hooked up to an IV.

Most of your own clothing consists of dresses, suits and various pieces of formal attire. An entire section of your huge closet holds only dress that you've never bothered to wear, just because they're so _uncomfortable_. You do, however, have a lot of athletic clothing, as well as some pyjama sets, that are much more comfortable than this flimsy fabric thing.

… Your head is starting to turn into mush from the anesthetic. It's your first time going through this stuff, after all, since your childhood wasn't exactly peppered with surgical operations. The IV plugged into your hand feels like something's bubbling in your forearm. It's not a pleasant feeling. You'll need to find something strong after you get dressed to counteract it.

"Chung, please show Elsword around and get some food going. Please remember to keep talking to a minimum; we don't know if the penthouse could be bugged," you tell them softly. "Aisha, please come with me. I fear I may be a little… Disoriented."

Aisha takes your hand as you stumble barefoot through your penthouse, occasionally leaning on her for support. "Are you okay, Eve?" She asks. "You've been speaking super formally since you woke up. Is it a side effect of the anesthetic?"

You shake your head, and the world goes spinning. "Not really. It's more of a… psychological effect. I woke up to my brother screaming at Chung. Not exactly a good thing to wake up to."

She nods in understanding. "My mother used to do that too," she says. "Like, she'd yell at me so I'd wake up. It was an interesting way to get up for the majority of my life."

The sleeve on her hoodie is rolled up, and you suddenly catch what seems to be a large scar decorating her forearm. She catches you staring at it and rolls her sleeve down gently, patting the fabric. "Just an old scar," she says, grinning. "Don't worry about me."

You worry all the more.

While Chung and Elsword navigate their way to the other side of the penthouse to air out the guest rooms, you and Aisha make your way to your master bedroom. It occupies about an eighth of the penthouse, including the huge bathroom and walk-in closet on either side of it.

Most of your belongings still lie strewn across the room. Your bed is still tucked in the corner, decked out in a myriad of pillows. Your sheets have been done by someone after you left. The fluffy pink carpet that you bought on an impulse off the internet rests elegantly on the ground in front of your wall mirror. You bend down to shuffle it back beside the bed, where it usually goes.

Either way, it's nostalgic. You press two fingers into the mattress of your bed, exhaling in relief when they sink in for a moment and bound back up. You haven't gotten a good night's sleep in what feels like an eternity. "Tonight," you murmur, "I'm going to sleep like a rock."

"Woah, woah!" Aisha yelps, and you suddenly come back to your senses. When did you end up on the floor? "Eve, let's get you something warm to wear, first, and then you really could use some medicine to counteract that anesthesia."

She helps you to your feet, and then supports your wobbly steps to your closet. It looks as daunting as ever, with each section perfectly separated from the next. The dress your brother sent you for the soiree hangs at the front of the bunch, still covered in its plastic protective sheet.

A robotic screen extends out from the panel beside you, coming to a stop in front of your face. "Good evening, Lady Nasod," it says in perfect robotic monotone. "How can I help you today?"

The screen blinks once to reveal a selection of clothing categories. Dresses, shoes, shirts, coats, pants, accessories, even preassembled ensembles are options. Instead of picking one, though, you push the screen back to the wall panel where it came from and walk on forwards.

Aisha runs her hands through all your dresses as she follows behind you. "Amazing," she murmurs. "How many of these have you never worn?"

"Most of them," you admit, a little guilt starting to clog up your chest. Aisha's probably never had a nice dress before, and you've got all of these just _discarded_. "If you want, you can try them all on and take a few. If it's not in your size, Chung and I can alter it for you."

"Really?" She squeaks. "Thank you, Eve!"

You're not quite used to receiving hugs from people that aren't Chung or Rena, but Aisha is soft and warm and she feels a sister. "Let's go pick you out something nice to wear," you suggest, smiling. "If not a full-on dress, then a good outfit for safe travels."

Twenty minutes later, Aisha has chosen a soft purple polo and a grey skirt to replace her fading sweater dress, which you toss in the automated washer chute. She chooses a pair of black socks that roll up just above her knees, and white high heel sneakers that sit loosely around her ankles. "I could use a height boost," she snarks, lacing them up in purple ribbon.

On the other hand, you've found a pair of black shorts to slip into, as well as an old black t-shirt that you haven't worn in, what, five years? They're soft and comfortable, though, so you lay them on the floor of the closet as you try to wrangle the hospital frock off yourself.

You grimace at the IV drip and the needles stuck in your hand. "This is giving me ulcers, just looking at it," you mutter, reaching over to pull the IV stand over and unplug it. Immediately, the fizzing sensation in your hand ceases. "Aisha, do you think you could take the needle out?"

She bites her lip. "I can try. I've done a lot of splinter removal lately. This can't be too different."

You fish a pair of pink panties out of a drawer and don them along with the shirt and shorts. You could really use your hoodie right now. Nothing like the feeling of childhood memories to keep you warm, after all. As you dig around, though, you find a familiar segment of white fleece.

How'd Chung's hoodie end up here? You pull it out of a stack freshly folded clothes, sending a few shirts to the ground, and flip the hood up. Sure enough, the name _Chung Seiker_ is printed in his neat handwriting in the box that says _If lost, return to_.

It's technically not lost, so you pull it on over your t-shirt and tug your hair out from underneath the hood. It feels just like yours, but Chung's distinct scent lingers around it. "Alright," you tell Aisha, finding a pair of socks for yourself along with a pair of bunny slippers, "let's go find the boys."

You find them in the kitchen, preparing lemonade and apple fries and grilled cheese sandwiches. "There's so many types of cheese here," Elsword gushes, eyes wide with childlike excitement, as you walk in. "I've never even heard of some of these before!"

"That's Altera for you," Aisha snarks, her new heels clicking together. Elsword's expression goes blank, and you have to do your best to stifle a giggle. "Anything I can help make?"

Fifteen minutes later, the four of you are armed with grilled cheese sandwiches, prosciutto so thinly sliced that it's translucent, apple fries, lemonade and mayonnaise. "Where do you guys usually eat?" Elsword asks, carrying two plates of sandwiches.

"On the floor," Chung quips. "Nah, we have to go to state dinners and stuff often, but when we do eat at home, it's usually on the floor in Eve's workshop."

"For the record, state dinners aren't as fun as they might seem," you offer, holding your (wonderful!) apple fries. "All that ever happens is my brother standing on a platform rambling for hours and hours, and then some weird food that no one actually likes eating, and _maybe_ a dessert that tastes vaguely edible."

"Hey, last time's ice cream was pretty good."

You smile. "Fair enough."

You go into the living room, where one wall is lined with books. No one really asks about your workshop because it's pretty well hidden. Alongside your personal library and storage room, the hidden workshop takes up about a quarter of your entire penthouse. If anyone was really paying attention, they'd realize that your penthouse is missing an entire slice.

That slice is your workshop zone, where you spend most of your day (assuming you're not getting ready for a state dinner or some big event). It's also completely debugged since you've put up signal-destroying plating across the walls, which is good since most of your little projects take place there. Your latest personal projects have included several modifications to your laser pistols as well as Chung's Destroyer, small tweaks to his armor, and a complete reshelving of your entire library, which contains about two thousand books.

Of course, you also had to plan out your escape from Altera, which was mostly carried out on Chung's tablet. You hope your brother's computer team hasn't gotten the time to hack it yet, because you're pretty sure he chats with Elsword constantly about the rebellion on that tablet.

Speaking of tablets, you really need to retrieve your own as well. While there isn't nearly as much incriminating material on it, it would be nice to be able to get it back. You wince as you think of your hard drive, stowed away in your petticoat with your weapons. It's definitely going to take some effort to retrieve those, since you're apparently your brother's highest priority suspect right now.

"Alright," you say as the four of you settle down on the floor with the food, "we need to make an action plan, and get our priorities straight. Aisha, Elsword, keep your movements around this apartment. Do not leave unless either Chung or I are with you. As long as you're with one of us, I think you should be safe. Planning wise, we have a lot to do. All of us have incriminating conversations stashed on our tablets. Aisha, you got yours to wipe itself out?"

She nods. "Commander Nasod's not getting a hold of my info anytime soon."

You scoop up a bit of mayo with your apple fry and pop the whole thing in your mouth. "Good. Elsword has no tablet, but Chung and I have had many… interesting conversations, per se. As soon as I get my hands on some form of technology, I'll be able to hack my way into my brother's mainframe and delete any version of our chat client he may have tapped into."

"It should be encrypted to begin with," Chung offers. "But your brother's got some beefy decoders on his team, so I wouldn't expect the information to hold out much longer."

A thought suddenly clicks in your mind. "Not anymore."

"Are you certain?"

"The main coder on his team, the one who did all the planning for the Morpheus Project, is either in jail, dead, or has been liberated from the Tunnel by the Asura," you remind them, smiling. For once, what little knowledge you have of your enigmatic fiance has come in handy. "So I'd say we have a few more hours, tops."

Elsword raises his hand. "Okay, but all of our weapons and supplies are under lockdown," he says. "I heard the guards talking about it. They took my piercings out because they thought I could use them to stab people!"

Sure enough, his brand new piercings are gone. You sigh. "We'll go to Apple's floor to see if she can spare some of her curative fluid," you decide, "and hopefully get some safer piercings for you. All of our belongings should still be in the Core. Chung?"

"Eighth basement," he replies immediately. "Either there or the quarantine area on the ninety-seventh floor. Wherever they are, I won't be able to pull many favours to get in, so Eve, it's all on you."

"Wait, wait, wait," Aisha says, shaking her head. "What floor did you say we're on?"

You smirk. "The fiftieth storey, why?"

"How many stories are there in this building?" Elsword asks, baffled. "Does this thing extend all the way into heaven?"

"Nah, only about a kilometre up," Chung says nonchalantly. "It has two hundred and eleven stories and twenty basement levels, and I've only been to about half of them."

"... Bro."

You glance at Aisha. She looks terrified, but also vaguely intrigued. _So she's an architecture kind of person, huh._ "Let's back to the topic at hand," you continue, breaking her out of her trance. "I get the feeling my brother's holding Moby and Remy down, but I'll keep the window of the balcony open just in case they're still out there."

"Then let's prioritize," Aisha says, reaching behind her. You're a little surprised that you keep so much loose leaf paper around, but she finds a sheet immediately and scoops a pen out of some random corner. "What's first?"

"Food," Elsword interrupts, raising a sandwich slice. "None of you had lunch, and as someone who worked hard to make these sandwiches, I'm ordering you all to eat one each right now."

Your stomach growls hungrily in response. "Alright," you tell him, smiling as you accept a slice. "Food first."

Food is definitely your top priority.

* * *

 _1\. Remove IV needle from Eve's hand_

 _2\. Locate belongings weapons in basement 8, tech gear on 87th, Moby and Remy in custody on 18th_

 _3\. Retrieve tech gear_

 _4\. Gain access to wifi as so to wipe info from server_

 _5\. Wipe info from server_

 _6\. Regain control over Core_

 _7\. Cause "accidental" blackout of Core to retrieve weapons_

 _8\. Retrieve weapons_

 _9\. ?_

* * *

You wake up in the middle of the night, sensing that something is terribly wrong.

Elsword is snoring softly from his designated guest room, and Aisha seems to be silent for now. Moby and Remy are softly cooing to each other, probably delighted to be back together after being kept in separate cages just metres apart for hours. The guest room you're staying in is still.

Except it's not. There are muffled sobs coming from another part of the penthouse, and you know exactly where and who it's coming from.

Wordlessly, you sit up in bed and reach for the lamp on the nightstand. It lights up immediately with a faint click, and the sobbing cuts off abruptly, which is how you know for sure that Eve is being plagued by anxiety.

You get out of bed, shoving your feet into the old fluffy slippers that you've kept in Eve's penthouse since you started working with her, and you take off like a bullet towards her room. The slippers muffle your heavy footsteps, but nothing masks the thundering click as you turn the knob on Eve's door, not even bothering to knock as you open it.

The lights are off and Eve is rolled up like a burrito in her cocoon of blankets, but tears streak her face and her hair is spread everywhere. You know Eve never sleeps without tying her hair up, because it gets in the way. She must be looking for a little bit of darkness, since it's all over her face and getting soaked among her tears.

"Hey," you whisper. "Everything's alright."

"No, it's not," Eve says, hopelessness drowning the life in her voice. "I'm a murderer, Chung. How am I supposed to go on living knowing that I've killed someone?" She shudders, and inhales sharply. "Scorpius was one of Father's friends, and I… I killed him, oh god, I'm a _murderer_ …"

You suppose you've come to terms with killing a long time ago. You'd do anything, kill anyone to protect Eve, and you've done it before, killed before to protect her. She's been sheltered all her life as the daughter of the most powerful senator, and then as the sister of the supreme commander. It'll take time for her to realize that there are people she needs to be free of.

Like her brother.

If worst comes to worst, you'd kill Adam Nasod without a second thought. You're done putting up with his shit, you're done watching him bully Eve and you're certain done standing back as he destroys the rest of the nation. As you sit on the bed next to Eve, you imagine destroying him, not physically but taking his power away and watching him wither without it.

It's a good thought, but it's not what Eve needs right now. You wrap your arms around her cocoon of blankets and try to push the hair out of her face with your nose. Her face and forehead are matted with tears and sweat, but her skin is smooth and warm, and she smells like home.

"You're not a murderer," you tell her firmly. "You are a _fighter_. You're doing this for the better of the nation. If anything, Scorpius is the murderer, and you were right to do what you did."

A drunken silence falls over the both of you as Scorpius's words fall over you again. "No one should have to die so that someone else can live," you murmur quietly. "It shouldn't be a crime to live. But there will always be those who seek to end the lives of others. It's not a crime to protect yourself from people like that."

Eve is quiet, doing her best to control her breathing. "I hope it was painless," she eventually says. "I am glad that he is no longer terrorizing Elrios under my brother's command, but it would be best if his death was painless and clean." She shakes her head and shifts around in her blankets. "In light of the wound he gave me, though, I hope he burns in hell."

"How's your injury doing?" You ask quietly. "Does it still hurt?"

She shakes her head. "I took an acetaminophen two hours ago. I'll be fine for now." Her eyes aren't quite focused on anything. "I wish I didn't have to watch the world burn from this perspective, Chung. I wanted to be the younger sister of the best ruler of Elrios. Instead, I'm the pawn of a tyrant."

"No, you're not," you insist. "You're Eve. Not Adam's pawn. Not the sister of Commander Nasod. You're your own person, and nothing will change that. You are in control of your own actions. You're fighting this war so that the rest of Elrios can be free."

Just for good measure, you lean up and gently kiss her forehead. "There," you murmur, glad that the darkness covers the red spreading across your face. "I'll stay here until you fall asleep. You don't have to be afraid anymore."

Eve nods weakly, her golden eyes closing again. "Goodnight, Chung."

You know she's actually quite restless - she never truly sleeps. Her mind is always whirring away, like a computer calculating its every mechanical move. As her breathing evens out, though, you can say for sure that at least she's resting.

It's been a long few days and you're beyond exhausted, but somehow you're not very thrilled to be back in the comfort of Eve's penthouse. The world seems so much wider now, and its people so much crueler. You can barely trust anyone around you anymore - Apple, Proto, even your dad.

Oh god, your dad. He must be worried sick, and Adam Nasod must be feeding him a buffet of lies, each more terrifying than the next. You can only imagine the grief he must be feeling, knowing his son is so close and yet so far away from him. Adam must have told him such ugly, ugly things.

For your dad's sake and for Eve's, you're going to tear Adam Nasod to pieces, even if it kills you. The people you love don't deserve to suffer any longer. There needs to be peace, so you can be a guardian to your friends and family.

Eve is fast asleep at your side. You take a deep breath, summon a little courage, and lean forwards to quietly press your lips to hers. It barely lasts a moment, and it leaves your face flaming and red, but it gives you the comfort you need to find peace tonight.

The taste of warm honey and apple fries lingers on your lips, like sweet, sweet ambrosia.

* * *

 **A/N: Eve is lowkey indestructible, or at least physically**

 **mentally? the cracks will start to appear soon, trust me. for the people who are wondering where code: battle seraph comes in play, this is for you**

 **the goal is to finish Spectrum by the end of the year, but there are some plot wrinkles that i gotta iron out plus i'm going on vacation and i have four assignments due in the next two weeks so yeah it's gonna be tight**

 **but i can say that i will update for sure on christmas, and probably on new year's eve too lol**

 **~Marg**


	17. Chapter 16

SPECTRUM

By MargaritaDaemonelix

Chapter 16

When Chung emerges from Eve's bedroom in the morning, you can't really say you're surprised.

Despite your restful sleep, you heard sobbing come from Eve's master bedroom, late into the night. It eventually stopped, but only after a series of footsteps and hushed murmurs that couldn't have come from Eve herself.

You figured it's a good thing that they're close enough to do this. Chung really should do something about his puppy crush on Eve.

 _Aisha_ , on the other hand, runs into the kitchen and nearly crashes into you. "Oh my god," she whisper-yells, grabbing your shoulders. You feel your face grow red from the sudden contact, but force the colour down. "I knew they're close, but I didn't think they're this close."

"Aw, didn't think you'd be the jealous type," you snort, although your grin and playful nudge remind her that you're just teasing her. "Bacon, eggs, or both?"

She thinks for a moment. "Both. All," she decides, glancing at the pan you have on the stove. "Are you gonna make pancakes too?"

In theory, you probably could make pancakes. Toma advised using buttermilk for fresh fluffy pancakes, and you know there's a tin jug of actual maple syrup in the fridge, not from Feita but imported from Empyrean. There's flour in the cupboard, and more eggs in the fridge. It's one of the really great things about Altera - there's all sorts of ingredients readily available.

On the other hand, you don't think Toma would appreciate you copying his recipe now, not when Bethma is probably up in flames. "Not for now," you tell her. "There's buttery croissants in the bread box, though."

Aisha brightens up at the mention of croissants, and goes to hunt them down. Her smile warms your heart.

When Eve stumbles out of her room, rubbing her eyes and pushing her messy hair back, you hand her a plate of eggs and bacon. "Eat up."

She blinks at the plate in her hands. "Oh. Thank you."

You watch as she wordlessly sits down at the small dinner table and starts staring at the plate in front of her. Chung comes to sit beside her, telling her softly that he's put some apple fries in the mini oven, but she only nods and continues staring blankly.

As Aisha walks into the kitchen to grab more bacon, you catch her by the arm and drag her into a corner. "Hey, is Eve alright?"

"I don't know," Aisha whispers. "She probably had a rough night, but I don't think she's ever been this… Distant."

Distant is a good word to explain Eve's current condition. You've seen her wake up and immediately launch herself into diplomatic talks. This is very, very strange, and quite unnatural. You're afraid she's falling into depression after having to confront her brother again.

"We'll probably need to keep her company over the next few days," you mumble. "Keep her happy."

You don't quite catch the fear and disappointment on Aisha's face as you grab your own plate and sit down next to Chung to eat.

The only time Eve seems to show any emotion at all during the morning is when Moby and Remy flutter into the kitchen, looking for food. A weak smile emerges on her face as she lets them rest on the back of a chair and tosses them pieces of bacon. It's probably not safe to feed the birds something with such a high sodium content, but the vacant look in Eve's eyes tells you that she's beyond caring now.

After washing the dishes in near silence, you start to wander about the penthouse. Your sister always said that you were never one to stay still for long, after all. You find yourself on the green balcony, brushing your hands past the huge leaves, then in front of the massive expanse that must be Eve's bedroom. You peek in for only a moment before closing the door gently and leaving the room behind for the workshop.

All your electronics have been wiped. The only things that remain completely untouched are Chung and Eve's portable hard drives, since both of them had the sense to encrypt them beforehand. The secret workshop, thankfully, didn't contain anything very incriminating, so it seems to be unharmed. Tiny robot toys and random boxes litter the floor of the workshop. The model of a rocket launcher not unlike Chung's rests forgotten in a dark corner.

You find Eve sitting at a dusty old computer, her hands working furiously to type faster than you can think. A string of code emerges on the monitor, like a river of words. Words like _morpheus_project_ and _supreme commander_ pop up frequently. She barely even needs to hit the backspace.

"Yes, I am hacking into my brother's mainframe," she says quietly, alerting you that she is in fact human and not a robot. "If I cannot transmit information to the outside world, then it is more beneficial that I extract information from him."

"Oh." You hadn't really been expecting the explanation, nor do you really understand it, but she's going full productivity mode at minimum emotional strength.

You've heard Aisha use the term "disassociating" a few times when she goes blank like this. Maybe Eve is just disassociating.

"I'm going to go look in the library," you tell Eve, hoping she won't lock you out. "Uh, I'm gonna read stuff, I guess."

She doesn't even react. You take that as a sign of affirmation and go through the secret door to the secret library.

It's dark inside when you open the door, but the moment you step in, a series of soft lamps light up on the walls, making the perfect environment to read, have a cup of tea or take a nap. You can see where papers and pencils have been strewn across desks and coffee cups lie abandoned.

You pick up a silken white flower hairclip from a sofa in the corner. Like everything else in this artificial paradise, it was never alive to begin with, but the tender petals give you the impression of an angel's touch. You remember that Rena once lived here; perhaps this flower belonged to her.

Five rows of pristine mahogany bookshelves take up most of the space in the room, and neatly packed books line each shelf like soldiers awaiting commands. Many of them have well-worn spines and bookmarks littered through them. Barely any look like they've never been touched at all.

You pick a random book off the shelf, letting your fingers dance over the covers. The book is called _Chronon_ , and seems to tell the stories of a million people - a lawyer, an astrophysicist, a mother rushing her daughter to the hospital, a collector of antique clocks. Unlike you, they seem to live in a time of peace.

But the chaos of their situation is all too familiar to you. The lawyer is fighting against a ridiculous government. The astrophysicist is awaiting doom in a black hole. The daughter seems to be running out of time to get the treatment she desperately needs, and the mother weeps as her baby fades in her arms.

You've never read this book, but the numerous pink sticky notes sandwiched between the pages tell you that someone in this library has read it a million times, maybe more. Other titles on the shelves seem more familiar to you - _Aisha, or the Gospel of the Witches_ (from which your friend got her name), the story of the Firebird, the fifth book of that one fantasy series that Chung once mentioned over text.

Suddenly there's a scream, then something like glass shattering, and then the sound of Eve's laser pistol being fired up. You close _Chronon_ quickly and shove it back where you found it, running for the door the moment the pages leave your fingers.

You fling open the door to find Eve standing over the remains of the monitor, her laser pistol smoking and pointed directly at you. "Woah, woah, woah," you tell her, hands raised in the air, "you okay?"

Her hands tremble, and then the laser pistol falls to the ground. "No," she says, voice wavering. "I am… Alright, but I have never been so _frustrated_."

"What's the matter?" You ask, walking over. There's a huge hole in the monitor, and singe marks on the edges of the shattered glass around it. "Did your brother do something stupid again?"

"More than one stupid thing," she growls. "You may not understand, but Adam is fond of giving himself more power than he deserves. I uncovered his Morpheus project logs, and they are _nothing_ like anything I have ever seen before."

Eve's eyes are filled with anger, but also horror. "What he had his doctors do to the head librarian," she says, lowering her voice, "was only the first step. According to my discoveries, the experiments they performed on her were in order to prove that the conscious mind can be transferred to a new host body. Her thoughts were extracted, alongside her personality and memories, and reimplanted into the body of a ten year old girl that had been abducted from Bethma.

"The head librarian is not dead in the way that people believe her to be. She has a functioning mind but the body of a child, and has been missing for nearly two months."

"So where is she now?" You ask, trying to wrap your head around the words. You didn't think _thoughts_ could be extracted and implanted, and you're not quite sure what "host body" is supposed to mean, but you've understood the general gist of things. "Is she dead or alive?"

Eve bites her lip. "That is hard to say. I believe her DNA has matched up to that of a ten year old girl only recently registered in Lanox, but she is missing as of the time being and has a low probability of being alive." Her eyes turn dark. "My brother has ordered her to be found, a joint order which he made with Earl Ran Haan of Sander.

"But that is not the worst portion of the report." Eve clenches her hands into fists, which you realize are shaking. "He is building an artificial body for himself, so that his conscious mind can be transferred to it. However, the operation is likely to take several months to complete, seeing as the body he has constructed is artificial."

"That's why he's increasing security across the country," you realize with growing horror. "So he can take a break himself to transfer to a more powerful body."

You're not sure why he couldn't have just done some grafts and transplants onto his own body, because they're all too common in Altera nowadays. An artificial body might be more dangerous to maintain, and definitely takes more money to craft. Is this where your taxes are going?

… This is exactly where your taxes are going, as much as you hate to admit it.

Eve is shaking in silence now, each breath causing her chest to shudder. "I want to hate him," she says quietly, "but he's still my brother, no matter what I do. There's no way I can escape being his sister, no matter what kind of people I choose to associate myself with. Blood, regardless of whose it is, is still thicker than water."

You frown. "That's not how the saying goes."

"Of course it is," Eve insists. "That's how it was told to me my whole life."

"Yeah, but that's not the complete version," you tell her. "Whoever taught you it must have censored the original. Your version means that family means more than friends. And sometimes they do, but your brother is an asshat and doesn't deserve that."

She blinks. "I… What now?"

"The original is _the blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb_ ," you recite, remembering your sister's words to you when you were younger. "You come to care for the people you make friends with than the people you're told to love from birth."

You're actually not quite sure if your sister told you that. It seems long enough ago to have been someone else.

"Take Aisha for example," you suggest. "Her mom was straight up _toxic_. I've only heard stories, but I get the idea that she hurt everyone around her. Maybe she wasn't deliberately trying to hurt everyone, but it was bad enough to leave a dent in Aisha's mental health.

"That's why she's so much happier with our squad, despite the bunch of us only knowing each other in person for a few days. We _are_ her family now." You inhale sharply and smile. "Just like we're your family, too. Adam might be your brother by heritage, but we are your family by choice."

Eve is silent for a while. "Thank you," she manages. "That was… Helpful."

"Then my work is complete." You pat her shoulder gently. "Now, do you have a dustpan?" You gesture at the monitor. "We might want to sweep up the glass."

* * *

You're definitely not jealous of Eve and Chung's closeness.

It just hurts a little more than you'd expected to see them so _happy_ around each other. Sure, you know they deserve to be happy together, but it's such a foreign concept to you that you're not sure if it's even good for them.

Your parents were not limiting on who you made friends with. You spent your childhood making friends with Toma and Nina and all the neighbourhood kids. Maybe it's just the fact that they can remind each other to breathe, whereas you're stuck floundering for air on your own.

You've never _wanted_ to have someone close as much as you do now. Elsword had Elesis to hold when he was young. Chung, albeit sickly as a child, had his parents, and Eve had her incredibly supportive father.

You had an absent father, an emotionally manipulative mother, an aunt driven into darkness by your mother, and a grandfather who is gone. You could barely hold onto your grandfather before he too was taken away from you, and now you have no one.

You hate that you're so _lonely_ , even when you're surrounded by the friends you can now call your family. You don't know how to let yourself trust anyone, when anyone could turn on you at any moment. You want to accept your new family so badly, because they've accepted you without a second glance.

But there's a million scars on your heart, and they need time to heal.

Altera seems to be bigger today, after Eve decided to take you to venture out of the penthouse for bubble tea. "We must remember to bring some back for Chung and Elsword," she says. "What drinks does Elsword like?"

You think for a moment. "Fruity things, probably." You stick your tongue out. "If you gave him a wasabi smoothie, he'd probably drink it, though."

"Ew," Eve mutters, grimacing.

You can't help but nod. Wasabi doesn't sound particularly appetizing right now.

The new dress and shoes make you feel like a new woman, reborn in sparkling white and purple. Eve had her beautitrician come upstairs to give your hair some life as well. All in all, you feel less like a dirty old hag, and more like a twenty-year old young woman like you actually are.

In the end, though, you still can't hold a candle to Eve. Her hair has reverted to its natural waviness, but after some intense straightening, Apple was able to get it down in a glossy white wave. Paired with slim white boots and a white trench coat, she looks sleek and slim, like a wintery angel.

She insists you look amazing. You insist that she looks amazing. Whatever the case is, the two of you look like queens walking through the streets of Altera, and everyone knows it.

"Here," Eve says, pointing at a nearby door. "This is my favourite bubble tea cafe."

You read the white text on the shimmering black sign. _Cafe de Causette_ , it says.

The robotic servers don't even bother Eve as she pushes open the door and seats herself down in a corner table, with plush beanbag chairs. As you seat yourself down across from her, a slim panel rises out of the table to show you the complete menu. The drinks look beautiful, but the prices that accompany them are _horrifying_.

"Order the most expensive thing you want," Eve instructs. "I'm putting it on my brother's tab anyways."

You can't argue with that. You order a warm rose milk tea with tapioca. While it's not the most expensive thing on the menu, it's certainly high enough that Eve wrinkles her nose in satisfaction at the number.

The idea of spending two thousand dollars on a cup of bubble tea is so disturbing to you. After having 85-dollar bubble tea and feeling guilty about it, you're almost in shock at the thought of buying a tiny cup of fancy, overpriced capitalism for $1999. Eve shamelessly orders her own $2399 bubble tea (imported star fruit milk tea) and follows it up with a $3999 serving of fried chicken.

So this is why Eve and Chung were so unafraid to buy nice things for you and Elsword. A thousand dollars - your wages for two weeks - must be nothing to them.

"How are you doing?" Eve asks quietly after sending away her order directly on the magic panel. "Did you sleep well?"

You shrug. "Not too badly," you muse. "Although I wouldn't say the same for you." Her face falls, and you know instantly you've cornered her. "Nightmares?"

She nods. "It is unfortunate that we must share this sentiment," she says. "But yes, last night was rather rough. I hope I didn't disturb your sleep."

"Not at all," you assure her. "Chung went to help you sleep again, didn't he?"

"Yes. His presence is comforting."

A robotic server rolls over to your table, bearing your drinks on a tray. You're instantly awestruck at the rich colour of your drink, all pink and warm grey and silver at once, with glossy black bubbles bouncing in the bottom of your glass mug. Steam rises slowly from the glass in a lazy curl. Eve's drink is a shimmering deep blue, with scattered bits of gold and a wedge of a star fruit balanced precariously on the edge of the glass.

The robot porter chirps, a message flashing on its face panel. _Pay now or at counter?_

Eve snorts. "Put everything on the tab of Adam Nasod."

Apparently this is a regular happening, because the porter takes it as an answer, flashes a thumbs up symbol, and rolls away, wheels silent against the smooth floor. "Most Alteran restaurants are not fitted with human servers," Eve explains. "Restaurant owners can't be bothered to pay human servers, so instead they employ robot servers to manage their stores."

"Capitalism," you mutter, earning a grimace and a nod. The rose latte is just warm enough to fill your stomach with a fuzzy warmth, and yet not so much as to burn your tongue. You revel at the smooth glass mug, how its double-layer construction creates a vacuum as so to not burn your hand.

Eve sets down her glass gently. "So," she says, eyes glinting with mischief. "Care to tell me what you are Elsword are up to?"

For whatever reason, your first thought is _pancakes_ , but you shake it away quickly. "What do you mean? We aren't up to anything," you manage, giving Eve a weak smile. "We're just friends, nothing more…"

That's a lie, and Eve knows it. "How long have you two known each other in person again? Two, three years?" She queries. "And yet you are closer than most would dare to call a friend. Surely you feel some degree of mutual longing."

And there it is again, the word _longing_. "That's exactly what it is," you sigh. "I didn't have anyone I could really turn to as a child. Even now, I have trouble letting myself place my trust in others, and even in myself, because no one ever told me how.

"I want to have someone to support, and I want to be able to support someone," you realize quietly. "Elsword was the first person who really reached out to support me. I want to support him as well. I want to accept him, but I don't know how."

You probably don't have a _crush_ on Elsword, per se, but Eve's right - whatever you do have is more than friendship. Romance is not your strong suit, and really, what are the chances that he'll think the same of you? At best, he'll think of you as a sister.

You don't think Eve quite understands what you mean because really, you've only just spewn out a string of words, but she nods and offers you her hand. "I know all too well how it feels," she admits. "It is hard to take in the changes in the way we see those beloved to us. This will take time, but I am sure you will be able to find the trust and acceptance you want."

"Thanks, Eve. Really." You squeeze her hand and offer a smile. "I really appreciate it."

The robot server rolls up again, and you let go of Eve's hand to grab a fork from the tray. The fried chicken that Eve ordered smells absolutely heavenly. Coated in a thin layer of batter and dusted with parsley flakes, the chicken is juicy and perfectly seasoned. You're almost a little too eager to grab a second piece after you munch through your first, and Eve lets out a little laugh as your face inevitably lights up after you stick it in your mouth.

"We can get a second serving later," she reminds you as she pops the last of her first piece in her mouth. "Chung and I often order several baskets of the chicken when we come here."

You quickly remind yourself to swallow your food before speaking. "Do you two come here often?"

Eve pauses. "We used to," she says. "With Rena around, we had a chaperone who could accompany us around the city. After we were able to smuggle her out, my brother began to keep me confined to the Core with errands and assignments, and meetings, so our outings have diminished in number." She makes a face. "As much as I hate to admit it, I despise my brother's meetings and banquets and soirees. Nothing about them is as "refined" as he makes them to be."

"Ah," you offer, reaching for another piece of chicken. "So Chung keeps you company while you're locked up."

It surprises you that her face turns pink instantly, her porcelain skin rouging over. "I... Suppose." Her voice goes up an entire octave, turning her statement more into a question.

The pieces click together quickly. "Eve, dear," you tease, "is there something between you and Chung that you'd like to tell me about?"

Eve squeaks, flushes even more and buries her face in her hands.

"You do know he's basically sworn himself into your service forever, right?" You tell her softly. "Like, I'm not saying you should take advantage of him, but you've practically got him wrapped around your little finger like putty."

"I know," comes the muffled reply. "I have known about his feelings for me since we were children, and I…" She makes a groaning sound, voice cracking. "I don't know how to approach him about this."

"Do you feel the same way about him?" You press.

"I don't know!" Eve lets her hands drag down, pulling down her face. "I am aware that he harbours romantic affection for me, but I don't understand what I should do about this! He's my best friend, how am I to confront him in regards to something like this?"

"Ah." Considering how lifeless Eve can seem at times, you really can't say you're surprised. Maybe she just really hates social interaction, even if it's with her best friend of ten years. "Do you think you could possibly return his affection, though?"

"I… I don't know," she says. "For now, I am content with our platonic affection. Maybe someday, but… I don't think I'm ready now."

It's not much, but it's a start. "Then I'll be looking forwards to that day," you hum, patting her shoulder.

"And I'll be looking forwards to the day you accept Elsword's trust," she replies.

The two of you sit there nodding solemnly at each other, like complete idiots, for all of five seconds before you break out into light laughter. "God, we really are bad at this," you giggle. "Neither of us know how to romance, and yet here we are, trying to give each other relationship advice."

"Maybe we should get better at it, then," Eve suggests, which only brings more laughter from the two of you.

The fried chicken disappears all too quickly, and the second serving that Eve orders is consumed in the same time. Eve places an order for two more servings to go, and then orders a drink for Chung - a warm Iron Buddha latte with tapioca, with a little extra sugar. She encourages you to pick one for Elsword too, something expensive since everything's on her brother's tab anyways.

You don't know what kind of bubble tea he would want, but the robot servers let you sample a few of their bestsellers. The vanilla chai is a bit overpowering, but the watermelon slush barely lingers for a moment. In the end, you get him the same drink that you had, a rose milk tea, except cold instead of warm. Even if he doesn't like the taste, the drink is pretty enough to make up for it.

You skip back to the Core with Eve in the early evening, your heart full of light and hope. Instead of looking like queens, the two of you look like princesses, young and lively. Your jackets and hair swing behind you, alongside the bags carrying bubble tea and fried chicken in your hands.

You can't wait to see Elsword's reaction when you give it to him.

* * *

"So," Chung murmurs, watching as Aisha excitedly snatches a bite of fried chicken from Elsword, "what did you two talk about while you were at the cafe?"

The corners of Eve's lips lift up just a bit. "Not much of importance. And what did you talk to Elsword about?"

Chung purses his lips to hide the rouge in his face and the smile in his eyes. "Not much of importance, I guess."

It feels surreal to be hiding in the kitchen, watching Elsword and Aisha feed each other fried chicken. The dining table has become a little stage for its unknowing actors, and the kitchen home to the curious audience.

"Useless, the both of them. They're both so _bad_ at this," Eve mutters, reaching into her pocket to pull out her slim cell phone. "We need to help them. Do they not realize that they're acting out a Sanderian drama?"

She takes a photo as Elsword dangles the last piece of chicken just out of Aisha's reach, another of Aisha's face as Elsword puts it in his own mouth, and another as-

"Holy fuck," Chung whispers. "She did _not_."

"But she _did_ ," Eve manages, eyes wide as she lowers her phone. "I _cannot_ believe that Aisha just straight up kissed Elsword _for a piece of fried chicken._ "

They stand in stunned silence as the two in the dining room turn bright red, make their apologies and attempt to clean up the oily dining table. Elsword says a hushed goodnight after tossing out the plastic bubble tea cup, and then dashes off towards his designated bedroom. Aisha puts her burning face in her hands and makes a deflating noise, collapsing all over the table.

Eventually, though, she too gets up to go to sleep.

"I can't believe that just happened," Chung mumbles. "Did you get a photo?"

"Absolutely," Eve replies, nodding. "I am most certainly going to show it at their wedding, if and when they have one."

Chung sighs. "They could use a little happiness like that," he says. "Do you want me to make some apple fries?"

Eve shakes her head. "That will be alright. Thank you," she says softly. "I will be retiring for the night, so goodnight."

For good measure, she rises up on her tiptoes and gently presses a kiss to his cheek. "Goodnight," she repeats, forcing herself to look him in the eye and smile.

There's a quiet vacancy in Chung's eyes as he smiles in return. "Goodnight."

Somehow, it doesn't fill Eve with laughter and cheer, but the sentiment doesn't quite fill her with fear either.

* * *

 **A/N: rest in peace** **Cafe de Causette (?-2017), our local bubble tea haunt that closed down over the summer.** **your wonderful taiwanese fried chicken will be missed. i mean i love chatime's warm drinks but they don't have fried chicken**

 **the romance might seem a little rushed but there are going to be Tests for these kids so i want them to be happy while they can**

 **i'll write a shorter intermission chapter on what happened with Chung and Elsword while the girls were out but i have a lab report due on friday...** **but next monday is christmas which means i get to hang out with a)the fantastic person who introduced me to elsword, b)the single tallest person i have ever met and c)my childhood archnemesis**

 **~Marg**


	18. Chapter 17

SPECTRUM

By MargaritaDaemonelix

Chapter 17

This is the plan.

You don't need fancy gadgets or anything to get out Altera, but at the same time, the fact that your tablet is yours and yours alone is helpful. The descent through the Core is going to be painful, you know that. After you hacked and burned your way to retrieving your weapons, Adam raised a lot of securities within the Core. Putting the lights out under any circumstances will be a long and difficult procedure. You won't be able to escape under the cover of darkness.

Except you can. There's a storm brewing overhead, meaning everyone's expecting a power outage anyways. Elsword has an "easy, fail-proof method" of taking out the lights. He leaves your penthouse, taking Chung and a crowbar, and returns with Chung and half a crowbar. "We've got half an hour until the lights go out completely," he announces with a frazzled grin. "Yo, I really gotta thank Proto for the wire cutters."

You decide it's better for your sanity to _not ask_.

This is the plan.

Aisha has been carefully studying Chung's map of Altera, and with some help from Proto (who, surprisingly, has come forwards as a member of the resistance), she's figured out another escape route. A little inquiry has proven that your last escape route has been permanently removed. Adam had the maintenance staircase destroyed permanently after you jumped off into the forest below.

Instead, you're going to leave in plain sight. Proto and Apple will enter your penthouse with all sorts of things - entire cases of clothing, supplies, everything. They will leave with two "empty" boxes, in which you and your friends are packed. They will ferry you all down to Apple's shop, where the next part of the plan will take place.

"Do take care, sweetheart," Apple sobs as she runs her hands through your hair once more. "And Aisha, you cutie, stay safe. And remind Elsword to cleanse his piercings! I don't want to have to traumatize him with any more surgical equipment."

She's not a resistance member, but she's supportive towards the cause, and besides, she'd do anything for Proto anyways.

This is the plan.

Apple puts disguises on all of you. Aisha becomes a brilliant entrepreneur, in a smart black pantsuit and crisp red glasses. Her sneaker heels are replaced by black pumps that she can't quite walk in, but she manages to imitate a graceful step. A perfect lavender scarf tied in a knot at her neck conceals the tiny bottle of pepper spray wrapped within.

Elsword dons a white shirt and red apron as he transforms into a chef. His jeans are replaced by black dress pants and his hair is combed up until it stops falling down. His red earrings are packed away in lieu of simple gold studs that look much more professional. With sparkling blue contacts, it's as if he's a complete stranger.

(Aisha sits in a corner with her face in her hands the whole time. You think she might be crying a little bit.)

Chung sheds his regal blue vest for a black one, and slips a white jacket over it. Apple struggles for ten minutes to flatten down his hair, so no one will see the darker-coloured strands, but in the end she tucks them under the large blue scarf that she wraps his face in. You can only see his vibrant blue eyes.

And finally, Apple turns to you with a pure white pantsuit and white jacket. "You're going with Aida, so you're going to need to look your best," she insists, draping the jacket around your shoulders. "I'm gonna put gold ribbons on Moby and Remy, alright? It makes them look so much more regal."

"Don't traumatize my birds," you tell her.

She puts gold ribbons on them anyways, and with the few extra minutes that you have, she paints their talons in such fine gold that they sparkle in the sun. "Excellent," she says, clapping.

Proto snorts. "Now you're all ready for your funerals."

Apple smacks her.

This is the plan.

There are loose ends you need to tie up in Altera, ones that you didn't bother with the last time you ran and then some. Chung's armor is still locked up in the basement, since he didn't find it during his heist with Elsword. Your number one escape route has been permanently closed, so you had to find something different.

Plus, Rena's medical records are still troubling. Your brother has told you one version of her story, but you _need_ to see for yourself what her past really is.

This is the plan.

You have friends over the Core who are willing to help you escape. Although they are few in number, they'll get the job done.

Elsword is going with Amos to the kitchen. Amos is a technician, not a chef, but he's able to get into the kitchen with ease due to his position, and he'll be able to secure a loading bay and truck for you to exit the Core. In this way, Elsword's job may very much be the most important one.

Aisha is going to the library with Adel. Truth be told, Adel might not be well suited for the task of stalling for time, but between him and Aisha's ability to conjure inane arguments on the spot, they might be able to give the rest of you up to an hour to carry out your tasks. They'll be proposing infrastructure changes to your brother for as long as they can.

Chung has tracked down his armor, but without security access (he's listed as special concern in the archive), he can't find it. His dad has been sent back to Hamel, which means he's out of the question, so instead he's turned to Agatha for access. They'll be infiltrating the basements, taking the weapons and supplies you need as they retrieve the armor.

And finally, you'll be the control centre from the medical ward. Rena's old friend Aida, who is a nurse, is going to welcome you to the medical ward as Doctor Huang Hou. You've been invited from Sander to treat a patient who doesn't exist. You'll reset the Core while you're there, and find Rena's medical records and maybe your brother's.

Once all of your tasks are completed, you'll meet up in the loading bay with Elsword and Amos.

Then, the real escape begins.

This is the plan: you're going to leave Altera as you know it, hopefully forever, and make sure your friends get out safe and sound to reunite with their loved ones.

This is the plan: you're going to say goodbye to your brother and the life you once knew.

* * *

 _Altera Core, Eve's penthouse, 4:21 pm_

The plan begins the moment the lights shut off. Elsword was right; true to his word, the Core loses power entirely half an hour after he and Chung return from their expedition. Chung seems a little bit pale when you ask him what happened, so you don't press into it, but the _half_ of a crowbar is more than a little disturbing.

You say your goodbyes in near complete darkness. Elsword and Aisha only offer a blurted "good luck" to each other before turning the other way. They still haven't talked since the fried chicken kiss incident, which you find hilarious but saddening at the same time. Both of them come to offer you hugs and smiles, though.

They leave quickly, because Amos and Adel are waiting. You turn to Chung, unsure of what to say. "Well then, I guess this is goodbye," you manage. It's not so much a goodbye to him as it is to your home of twenty years, but Chung understands it all the same.

"Good luck, Eve," he says, wrapping his arms around you. The littlest bit in you is tempted to push down his scarf and kiss his mouth, to taste his puffy lips just to see how soft they are, but the rest of you is a lot less impulsive, a lot more controlled. "And Elspeed. Stay safe."

"You too." He has soft cheeks, which you've always known anyways. You rise up on your toes to gently kiss his cheekbone. "I'll see you in the loading bay."

He doesn't quite meet your eyes as you wave goodbye and walk away into the darkness of the Core.

You meet Aida by Proto's door, as was decided. "Time to go," she says in a hushed voice. She's very, very short, but her words carry a certain sweetness that reminds you of Rena. "Do you know what you're looking for?"

"Yes," you offer. You really don't. "Lead the way, Nurse Aida."

She has a small flashlight, which she uses to guide you into the medical ward. Thankfully, the ward uses a separate generator from the rest of the Core, so no one is going to die because you and your friends killed the power. "Hey," Aida says cheerfully, leading you into the ward. "So there's a blackout in the rest of the Core, but our doctor from Sander has arrived."

"Excellent," says a tall man in maroon scrubs. "I'm Dr. Crow. Welcome to the team."

"Dr. Huang Hou," you tell him, shaking his hand firmly. "Thank you for having me, Dr. Crow."

"Oh, I must be thanking you for coming on such short notice." He flashes you a blinding grin. "Now, I hear you are here to update our patient archives?"

So it turns out there are more resistance members hidden in Altera than you'd imagined. "Of course," you tell him. "Lead the way."

The room in question is small, and has one table that houses one computer. "Take as long as you need, Doctor," he says, winking. "I'm sure you'll find what you need soon."

"Thank you, Dr. Crow," you say, in complete sincerity, as he closes the blinds and turns on the small lamp. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

"You're helping us just by being in this whole movement," he assures you. "With you, there is now a name to the resistance, and the rest of us common folk can start to hope again. Like I said, take as long as you need. Give our little nation the life it needs."

With those words, he closes the door behind him, leaving you alone to break your brother's firewalls.

The computer is logged in as Dr. Ignatius Crow. You keep the login before opening a side window to log yourself in as well. With this dual login, you'll be able to keep tabs over the entire Core, while finding the information you need for Rena, and to destroy the Morpheus Project.

The Core in its entirety is offline at the moment, but you still have access to its last few statistics. The feed from your hallway on the fiftieth floor is pretty normal - Apple and Proto showing up with two carts of clothes and things, Chung and Elsword leaving the penthouse while chatting, Chung and Elsword returning to the penthouse looking slightly dazed, Apple and Proto leaving the penthouse with two carts of clothes and things.

You're lucky to have killed the cameras in your own room a long time ago. Now, you quickly finish off the job by replacing the feed in Apple's room with some from about two months ago, about when Apple started sporting her current hairstyle. With a bit of creative editing and timeline fixes, no one can tell that she's done anything other than pack up a bunch of stuff, call Proto to her room, and ferry it up to your penthouse before coming back and unloading it again.

Before the Core comes back online, though, you need to give yourself some accesses. If your instincts are correct, Aisha and Adel are currently sitting with your brother in complete darkness, probably talking about some new product or regulation for Elrios. Elsword could be making carrots into flowers for the next soiree. Chung… could be anywhere, really. You hope he's doing okay.

While electricity is being restored to the rest of the Core, you crack open the archive that contains the medical records of everyone in Altera. It's connected to the imperial Sander archives, but frankly, you couldn't care less about that right now. You're into the system, and Rena's medical history is literally at your fingertips.

You quickly type in eight letters - _RENA LIRE_. One results shows up, and you click it.

Rena's face pops up instantly on your screen. Her hair is vibrant and green, and falls in a curtain around her shoulders. You've only seen Rena _without_ her hair up a few times. Looking at her file seems almost alien to you.

There's a literal wall of text on her file, about the medications she's taken, the surgeries they've given her for her fall, everything else in between. A little red light at the corner of the page is a little more alarming, though.

You check the electricity in the Core. It's still offline. You've got a while, and besides, you're a fast reader.

You take a deep breath and begin to read Rena's file.

* * *

 _Altera Core Kitchens, 4:50 pm_

The kitchen isn't half as bad as Eve made it out to be.

While Amos rewires the control panel in the back, you toss the caramel around in your saucepan, opening the fridge door with your free hand and grabbing apples. They're crisp and red, shiny like the ones you had back at home in Ruben but rounder and less mishappen.

Eve had said that you could order food from the kitchens at any moment, but she doesn't like doing it because it takes ages and that the chefs turn everything into artwork. She's not wrong - you can see the chefs around you carefully slicing carrots into flowers, cutting perfect cubes out of cheese, arranging smoked salmon into roses.

But unlike Eve, you can definitely appreciate this environment. The kitchen is your playground, because food and art are your favourite things in the world. You stick the apples in the peeler, take them out and chop them into simple slices. Nothing beats your mother's cooking, after all, and _tarte tatin_ was one of the first things she taught you to make.

You pour rich caramel into the bottom of your baking pan before lining it with apple slices, tucking each one in beneath the next. The apples sizzle violently against the hot caramel, filling the air with the scent of sweet cinnamon sugar and juicy apples.

Hey, the head chef told you to make an apple pie. Tarte tatin definitely counts as a super-fancy apple pie.

Reaching into the fridge again, you pull out your rich, buttery pastry dough. You already rolled it out, so the only thing left to do is to peel off the saran wrap and lay it over your pan. You pluck a knife out of the knife stand and trim away the excess pastry.

The oven has been heating up for about ten minutes now. You slip on a pair of oven mitts before opening the oven door and shoving the tarte tatin in.

"What are you even making?" One of the other chefs asks in a low whisper. "How are you going to get the apples and caramel out of the bottom?"

"Relax," you drawl, shucking away your mitts. "I'll show you how to make it some other time. There's a simple trick to getting it out without getting the caramel stuck to the bottom."

You'll probably never show them the trick, but it's simple enough, anyways. You don't trust cooking spray to properly insulate your baking pan. Besides, no one ever said you couldn't use ridiculous amounts of butter. You don't have the time to be teaching anyone how to butter a pan.

"Amos, you 'kay?" You ask, turning towards the control panel. The power's back on, so you only have so long to work. The two of you already got good progress in on the control panel before the technicians fixed the junction, so really it shouldn't take much longer. You can only stall your cassoulet for so long. It's going to burn in the oven at this rate.

"Just a bit longer," he replies, teeth gritted around a screwdriver. There are three more stuck in his curly hair, threatening to fall out at any moment. "Give them parsley flakes, wouldja?"

You grin. Hopefully Aisha will pick up the message. "Aye."

* * *

 _Altera Core, Adam Nasod's study, 5:03 pm_

"Thank you for inviting us here, Commander," you remark, smoothing your blazer over your lap. "I really appreciate that you've taken the time to process our proposal."

Adam Nasod chuckles. You fight the urge to retch. "It is of no problem, Speka Cerise. Call me Adam."

"Commander Adam," you compromise, smiling. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"And I yours." He raises a mug to his lips, draining half the liquid inside before setting it back down. "Now, while we wait for tonight's dinner to arrive, please tell me more about your brilliant idea."

It's less of a proposal, more of a confirmation of information, but the way you've presented so far to him is an idea for Elrios' expansion. "Well, as I previously mentioned, there stands a barrier in trade between Empyrean and Elrios. While Empyrean is burdened with an extraordinary harvest of native produce, Elrios is struggling to import it."

"That is true," Adam agrees. "Empyrean imports are growing in price here. The market is in a state of disorder."

"The source of much of the inability to import is that fresh produce wilts or spoils en route to Elrios," you continue. "Furthermore, due to the long journeys taken to transport the produce over water, much of it is often deemed not fit for sale upon arrival in Elrios." You manage a sly smile. "I haven't had a good Empyrean pomelo in years for this reason."

Adam hums. "You come from Empyrean, but your speech is virtually free of any accent. Which part of Empyrean do you hail from, Miss Cerise?"

You almost freeze. The way he pronounced _Miss Cerise_ is all too reminiscent of another extremely unpleasant experience you had, not too long ago.

 _Your name is Aisha Landar,_ you remind yourself, forcing a more radiant smile to your face. _Be Aisha._ "I'm a second-generation immigrant from a small town in southern Empyrean," you tell him. "Although I have lived in Empyrean for some time, I've spent the majority of my life here."

It's the truth, just not the whole truth. You don't have to specify where _here_ refers to, and Adam doesn't press into it. "Well, it is admirable that you speak Elrian so flawlessly," he says. "Do you speak other languages?"

"Yes. I speak Empyrean's languages. I also picked up traditional Sanderian while I was working in Sander." This time a small white lie - your mother was the one who forced you to learn traditional Sanderian, but again, Adam doesn't need to know. "I have always found it convenient to speak more languages while at work, especially in my field."

Adam laughs out loud boisterously. "That is very admirable, Miss Cerise. I have trouble with Central Empyrean more often than not, and Mediterranean and Northern Empyrean are beyond my speaking abilities."

A bell rings at the door. "Oh! Dinner is ready," he says, pressing a button. The door opens to reveal a finely dressed waiter pushing an ornate cart of food. "Miss Cerise, may I interest you in tonight's meal?"

"That would be much appreciated," you tell him. Your lips are dry. "Thank you very much."

You're not very hungry, but you need to see the main course to find out how much longer you need to stall for Elsword and Amos to access the loading bay. If you mess this up now, you could blow over the cover of the entire operation.

So you sit diligently through the salad, poking the strange flowers made of carrots before shovelling them into your mouth, and you sip the kind chicken broth that follows. You're not even sure if Elsword made them, considering he's technically a "newbie" to the kitchen and the head chef probably doesn't trust him.

Then again, Apple's backstory for him is that he's a transfer from the kitchens of the Earl of Sander, and everyone knows every day in Sander is a feast, so he might be doing more than just peeling potatoes.

Your relief comes when the waiter brings up two dishes and a large pot of cassoulet. You'd kill a man any day for a serving of Anne Sieghart's cassoulet, and this is most certainly it. When the lid is lifted, you drown in the sweet scent of her perfected recipe, crafted in her son's gentle hands.

The top of the cassoulet is sprinkled in breadcrumbs, but you can see flakes of dried parsley between the individual crumbs, sinking into the bean stew below. You'd decided beforehand with Elsword to make little signals in the food - a carrot flower in the centre would mean _keep stalling for time, we need more time_ , whereas a sprig of rosemary would mean _get out of there right now, we need to leave right now._

The parsley flakes in the cassoulet right now tell you to finish up whatever you're doing, and then get going. You'll have enough time to extort the information you need from Adam Nasod.

But first, food. Anne Sieghart's cassoulet recipe never fails to make you hungry.

You grin at Adam Nasod as he hands you a pristine bowl of cassoulet.

* * *

 _Altera Core, level B8, 4:59 pm_

The eighth basement is darker than you'd remembered.

You've only been down here a few times, mostly with your dad or with your superiors. Most of the stuff here is just boxes of old ammo, broken weapons and the occasional confiscated weapons. Your armor definitely counts in the last category.

As Agatha leads you through the basement, you're not entirely sure you've seen any of the people here. "Keep moving," she hisses at you, after you've passed another group of tall guards. "Adam keeps all his darkest secrets down here."

You try not to fixate on the cannons and saw blades kept in lit cases. You hope your Destroyer doesn't end up in a cage with them.

Apple has supplied you temporarily with two slim pistols in silver and black, instead of your Destroyer. It's too unique, too easily noticeable. With these shooters, however, you'll fit right in with the guards in the basement.

You arrive at a vault door. Agatha begins digging around in her pocket. "Is my Freiturnier in here?" You ask in a low whisper.

"No, but you should see the guy who is," she replies.

The vault door opens with a screech. "Greetings, Lieutenant Agatha. Greetings, Lieutenant Chase," says the automated voice. You can't help but smirk at the pseudonym Apple gave you on the fake ID. "Now entering Dr. Alterasia's laboratory."

The word _alterasia_ alone is enough to send a shiver down your spine. You steel yourself and keep your shoulders up and your back straight. This is no time to be freaking out.

Why is Agatha bringing you here, though? She knows you're on a tight schedule. If she says there is enough time to come here, then it must be urgent. You ball your hands into fists at your side and look up into the eyes of a madman.

"Welcome, welcome!" Doctor Alterasia is widely known in Altera as the Mad Doctor, and for good reason. You've heard the stories that they tell, that he takes prisoners from the Block to test his formulae. It's in his blood, after all - his father was the inventor of the infamous Alterasia toxin, the one still used to execute prisoners in Elrios today.

Agatha stiffens. "Thank you, Doctor," she says dryly. "We've secured the supplies that you wanted." Only now do you see the large misshapen bag at her side. From within it, she takes out two large bottles that look a little too much like oxygen tanks.

"Wonderful! Simply wonderful!" Doctor Alterasia takes his bottles and spins around. A wave of green spores shakes out of his lab jacket as he does. "Thank you, Lieutenant! Now scurry along, I have experiments to continue with."

He turns the two of you around by the shoulder and pushes you out of the vault. "Good luck!"

The door slams shut and locks itself. Agatha sighs and brushes a thin layer of green stuff off her shoulder. "Good riddance. Let's hit the disinfection chamber."

"What did you give him?" You ask. "Those bottles looked like oxygen tanks!"

"Relax, kid." She smirks, but there's something uneasy in her gaze. "It was just ginger ale. The old geezer loves the stuff. I just had to make a routine run."

She grabs your arm and pulls you towards the disinfection chamber roughly. "Now you see," she says quietly. "Alterasia lived in the world above just like you and me until a few years ago. Now, the Commander has no choice but to keep him locked up in here."

"How is he not dead yet?" By all means, with the spores and stuff that he experiments with, he should definitely be dead. "More importantly, why hasn't the Commander ordered him killed yet?"

Agatha's face looks scarily pale in the dim light. "Because they can't touch him," she says. "He's the Commander's secret weapon. Empyrean, Maple, they don't know he has a madman and a toxin that can eradicate half the known world's population within a day. No one is allowed nuclear weapons anymore after the Wars, but no one ever said we couldn't release deadly toxins through the air."

She shoves you in the direction of the chamber. "Get yourself disinfected. We'll have your armor in a bit."

* * *

 _Altera Core, Loading Bay, 5:21 pm_

When you and Aida show up to the loading bay, Elsword is the only one there. He has a handful of vegetables, and offers you a carrot when you approach. You turn it down politely.

"Aw, but they're really good, Eve!" He says excitedly, half a stalk of celery packed into his cheek. "They kinda taste like the good carrots from the farm, the ones that Banthus only grows once a year."

"I would rather not have carrots stuck in my teeth, thank you," you tell him.

"Ooh, I'll take one!" Aida chirps. Elsword grins and hands her a bunch of vegetables.

The next part of the plan involves driving. None of you are very enthusiastic about being driven around Altera with Elsword at the wheel, but he's fast and very efficient at his job. With a truck, you'll be able to drive right out of Altera, and with your new friends as well. You can't risk letting Aida and the others get caught, no matter how much Agatha insists they won't.

As you move things out of the back of the truck, Chung and Agatha come running. Chung looks paler than before, and his hair seems to be wet, but he's in his armor. "We're here," Agatha reports. "Amos, get in the truck, we don't have all day…"

"Are you unhurt?" You ask Chung softly. "You seem rather shaken."

He smiles weakly at you. "I've seen things that I'd rather not see again."

The holsters at his sides are empty, but he has his Destroyer. The ribbon you gave him is still tied around the handles. You put a hand on his shoulder and offer him a smile.

The last to arrive is Aisha and Adel, presumably because Adel is getting older and arthritis haunts his joints. "Thank god we're out of there," Aisha mutters. "No offence, Eve, but your brother is gross."

"Can't argue against that," you agree. "C'mon, let's get you guys in the truck."

Adel can't climb into the truck himself because of his joint pain, so you and Chung lift him up gently. It's not an easy job, though - he must weigh a million pounds, because you can hardly lift him up. Chung looks like he's struggling just as much on his other side. "Just a little further," you mutter, pushing all your strength into your arms.

The lights suddenly flicker to life in the loading bay, burning in white for a moment before changing to blaring red. Your gaze zeroes in on your brother stumbling through the inside door, guards streaming in behind him. "Shit," you hiss, pushing everything into Adel and boosting him right into Agatha's waiting arms above. "Drive, Elsword, drive!"

The truck takes off much too slowly. As Aisha and Aida begin to run, you draw your pistols and Chung readies his Destroyer. "Aim for the ground," you yell at him, "at their feet!"

Instead, Chung loads a single canister, aims, and sends a rocket into a crate of flour nearby. It blows up in a cloud of white, causing your brother and his guards to hack and cough through the remains. "Run!"

You only look back for a moment to shoot the button that closes the hangar door. It falls to the ground with a loud clatter, and you turn back to run.

The rain is pouring down in waves. Your hair is instantly soaked and begins to fall apart, but you couldn't care less. Adrenaline fills your veins and your heart threatens to beat its way out of your chest. It's an all too familiar feeling that you'd really rather not live through again, but somehow life has tossed it back at you.

Moby and Remy caw at you desperately from inside the truck. You want to send them at your brother, to tell them to tear out his eyes, but it's raining too hard for them to fly. You glance back briefly to look at the Core. The guards are blasting a hole through the hangar door, but you've still got time.

There's a yelp by your side. You turn to find Aisha sitting on the pavement, her suit completely soaked and the heel on her shoe snapped in half. "I think I twisted my ankle," she yells, voice wracked with pain. "Just keep going without me!"

You shake your head. "Chung!" You yell, running back to reach one arm under Aisha's shoulder. "A little help here!"

He glances back, eyes wide, and helps boost Aida into the truck before running back to join you. "Run, run, run!" He yells, scooping Aisha's legs up and taking off.

You can barely see through the rain, but you can just make out where the truck is when you catch up with it. You pass Aisha up into Agatha and Aida's waiting arms before falling back again, slowing down to take a breath. "Come on, Eve!" Aida wails. "They're catching up!"

You look back at your brother's group. They've got police cruisers, which means this truck is never going to make it out of the city. However, they don't want the truck - they just want _you, because you're the one putting your friends in danger._

Quickly, you begin to think of another escape route within the city. The plateau rolls down to the land below in the north-west side, but you're close enough to the shopping district to distract the cruisers and maybe scale down the remains of the maintenance staircase.

"What's in the back of the truck?" You yell over the din. "Any large tarps? Or waterproof fabric? Or even rope, I'll take rope right now!"

"Uh, we've got a few sleeping bags," Agatha shouts. "What are you planning?"

"Pass me one, right now!" You extend your arms and receive a sleeping bag, still rolled up. "Great! Amos, help Elsword drive out of this city!"

With those words, you turn into a side alley and pray that they'll heed your words and go.

You wrestle the sleeping bag out of its packaging. It's obnoxiously pink, like someone dipped it in a vat of lipstick, but it'll do. Your lungs burn as you roll it back up and tuck it into your arms.

The sound of police cruisers seems to get progressively louder and louder, but so does the sound of thundering footsteps. You turn a corner and nearly bump headfirst into Chung. "What are you doing?" You demand, smacking him with your sleeping bag. "They're after _me_! You need to get back to safety with the others!"

He shakes his head. "Agatha and Aisha are stopping them from catching up," he reports. "I'm supposed to be protecting you, Eve! I'm not going to let you go alone."

There's a blue sleeping bag in his arms, accompanied by a bunch of bungee cords. It seems like he's gotten the same idea as you have. "Fine," you decide, sighing. "We need to confuse as many of these police cruisers, first."

The two of you separate between alleyways and meet back up on main streets, ducking and zipping through the shopping district of Altera. The big malls are closed, but the smaller shops are still open, giving you enough light to see. You rip your sleeping bags open into giant insulated waterproof sheets, and then attach the bungee cords to the corner so you can grab on.

This is the new, revised, made-on-the-spot plan: you've just made makeshift parachutes so you can jump off a fifty-metre cliff, and you're really hoping that they'll stand through the rain.

You turn on your intercom. "Aisha, can you hear me?" You yell, raising your wrist to your mouth. "Aisha, can you hear me?"

" _Eve, I can hear you! Where are you?"_

"That doesn't matter! Aisha, give your intercom to Amos and Elsword right now!"

There's a shuffling noise, and then you hear Amos's voice. "Miss Nasod, what should I do?"

"Tell Elsword how to get to the cliff edge," you tell him. "The part where the cliff meets the flat of the plateau. We'll meet you there!"

You turn your intercom off and keep running. Chung raises a hand to push a strand of hair out of his face. "How much longer?"

"Too long," you mutter, glancing at the shops around you. "The Returns plaza is just up ahead-"

Too little, too late, you come to a screeching stop in the plaza as your brother begins to walk towards you, arms spread. "Now, now, Evangeline," he drawls, smiling at you. "There's no need to run from your dear brother, now is there?"

"Call off your officers, and I'll consider it," you growl, holding a hand out to stop Chung from rushing out at him. "You're a monster, you know that, Adam?"

He feigns looking hurt. "Why, Evangeline, I wouldn't go around calling people names. You've taken on plenty of those… Doctor Huang Hou." He grins at Chung. "Lieutenant Chase. I'm sure Miss Speka Cerise and the chef from Sander are on that truck right now, aren't they?"

You don't talk, but your firm stance doesn't change. "Let's face it, Eve," he says proudly, "your little friends don't measure up to the vision Father had for us. We are the highest ranked people in this nation!"

"No, _you_ are," you realize. "You are _the_ Commander. I'm just your sister - younger and _inferior_ to you. Don't you see why I need to get the hell away from you now?"

Adam only laughs. "You know, I never really got the hang of religion, but they say the original sinner in the Elian bible was named Eve." He grins at you. "Perhaps Mother had that in mind when she named you."

"And what about you?" You demand. "The original Eve might have released original sin, but Adam was the one who _willingly_ spread it. Just like you're terrorizing the people now. Look at what you've done to the head librarian. Look what you've done to poor Serena. You're just a power-hungry monster, and _everyone_ is suffering because of you."

"Yes, but look at all the good that's come of it!" He spreads his hands again. "The uprising in Elder was crushed before it began. We crushed the protesters from five years ago without even having to lift a finger. Yes, people may suffer now, but what about the future we are creating?"

"Are you even listening to yourself?" Chung demands. "You're making everyone suffer now, but their lives will be even harder in the future! Do you want to see this country crash and burn?"

"It already has," Adam says. "I'm only doing what I can to contain the fire before it spreads."

"Father wouldn't have wanted this," you mutter. "Father would have wanted us to deal with the issue, not hide it. Father would have wanted us to protect the people, not terrorize them."

"Well, Father is _dead_ ," Adam sneers. "And the dream of Elrios is now mine. Do what you want, Evangeline - Altera is still under my control. I am Father and Mother's pride and joy, and you are nothing but their sin."

That does it for you. Father and Mother were hardworking people who tried to make this country better for the people living in it, and if anything, you are no one's sin but your own. When you meet him in Hell, you hope you can rub all your achievements and the full life you've lived in Adam's face.

You close your eyes, raise your laser pistol, and pull the trigger.

The laughter stops promptly, and the silence is broken by the sound of a limp body thumping against the ground. You can't open your eyes.

Because despite every time you said you hated Adam, every time you said you could kill him, you never thought you'd actually do it.

Adam was your brother, but he is no longer your brother. You are free of him.

And you _killed_ him.

Chung tugs gently on your sleeve. "Eve, the cruisers are coming after us," he says urgently. "We need to run."

(You hope he can still look you in the face after this, after you murdered your brother in cold blood.)

He leads you out of the plaza, and then you finally open your eyes when you're under the shelter of a store awning. The world seems to be a whole different colour, brighter and darker and more defined. Your hands are trembling at your sides.

A sharp sound splits the sky as a bullet flies into a nearby window. "Keep going!" Chung shouts, grabbing your hand and running on forwards. You're almost out of the plaza, almost to the park on the edge of the cliff, and adrenaline fills your lungs again.

And then you see the cement wall that locks you away from the cliff, and the adrenaline dies immediately. Sure, you can climb up, but it will take much too long. You look around and find a park bench. "Up there!" You yell, dragging Chung over.

You run onto the bench, letting go of Chung's hand, and jump -

Only to barely catch onto the edge and watch your sleeping-bag parachute crash to the world below in the wind, bringing your heart crashing down with it. With just the parachute, you weren't even sure if you could get down the plateau. Without it, there's no way you'll make it down.

Chung pulls you to the top of the wall. "Miss Eve-"

"Don't even think about it," you snap. "They can't kill me, I'm the single highest-ranked person in the nation right now. You're a Hamelian in a flock of Alterans. You'll be slaughtered, and your dad will be humiliated."

"I'm supposed to be here protecting you," he retorts. "I'm not going to let you give yourself up to them! You take the parachute, I'll scale down the cliff or something."

"We both know you won't make that climb," you tell him, grabbing the bungee cords and shoving them into his gloved hands. "Just… Trust me, okay? Trust that I'll come back to you, safe and sound."

"I can't-" Chung stands in miserable terror as you shove your laser pistols into his holsters. "Eve, I can't do this. I'm not going to go without you."

"Then take a bit of me with you." You take your tablet out of your jacket and put it in his pocket. "Take care of the others for me, will you? And tell Rena I've found out the truth about her past."

You still don't quite know how to return his affections, but in the pouring rain, you aren't about to let Chung go heartbroken. Earlier, you were wondering how his lips would taste. Now, you push his scarf down and stand on your tiptoes to press your lips to his.

Chung's lips taste like apple fries. You smile gently as you pull away. Between the rain and the hairspray, his hair has never looked more flattened, but he's beautiful, a radiant, glowing boy in a dark rainy night.

There's water on his face, but you can't tell if it's tears or rain. "Eve-"

"Go!" You turn your embrace against him, and shove him off the wall and off the cliff. Thank goodness he's already holding onto the parachute, and _thank god it works_ , because for a terrifying moment he freefalls through the darkness and out of sight.

It hurts to tear your eyes away from him and the truck arriving below, but you have to pretend that they aren't there so you can keep them safe. _Please,_ you beg as you step off the wall and back into the park, _just take me so that they'll be safe. Let them get away safely. Let them be safe a little longer._

Lights surround you from every angle. Instinctively, you put your hands up in surrender.

It's their lives or yours, and since you're nothing but someone else's sin anyways, you think it's a pretty good exchange.

"Evangeline Seraphina Nasod, you are under arrest."

* * *

 **A/N: wow what an adventure**

 **it is literally -20 degrees celsius outside right now and my lips are so dry that they hurt but hey! i finished this chapter and that was my goal, so i'm proud of myself**

 **my goals for this year included nanowrimo (Jailbreak, check) and confessing to my crush (we're going to the museum sometime this week!) and of course finishing Spectrum.**

 **isn't it funny how i can't keep an actual writing schedule but when I want to write i end up mass producing fic to the point where my friends are concerned? ahahaha**

 **epilogue should be up very soon!**

 **i love you all, peace**

 **~Marg**


	19. Epilogue

SPECTRUM

By MargaritaDaemonelix

Epilogue

The truck arrives at the mountainside at sunset.

First out of it comes Aida, her eyes alight but clearly exhausted. "Oh my gosh, Rena!" She chirps, as bouncy and happy as ever. "It's so good to see you!"

"I've missed you so much," you murmur, face buried in her fluffy hair. Even though you have to kneel on the ground just to hug her, you can feel happiness radiate through every part of your body. "We have so much to catch up on, and oh gosh, there's so many types of candy here, like you wouldn't believe!"

As you wrap your arms around her, your fingers find a dent in her shoulder. She winces when your hand moves over it, so you take your hand away. "Have they been treating you well?" You ask softly.

Aida doesn't speak, but moves out of your embrace, smiling weakly. "I'm glad to be here," she says. "I need to go help the others now. You might want to go talk to Chung a bit."

She leads you back over to the truck, where Raven and Elesis are helping Adel out. Agatha comes and goes, bringing down supplies like Adel's wheelchair, a stack of sleeping bags, even a crate of saltines for some reason.

Chung stands in the middle of the cargo hold, motionless. Even as Elsword comes to pick up a sleeping Aisha and lift her out of the truck, he stays still, like he's planted down roots in the middle of the truck. His Destroyer hangs limply at his side, and he's draped in a muddy blue sleeping bag.

He looks so lifeless. The remnants of streams of tears decorate his face. Something must have happened.

All around you, there are people moving. Elsword has to shift his grip on Aisha every few steps, but he keeps moving. Elesis heaves a stack of sleeping bags out of the truck, passing them to Raven. The only person you don't see is Eve, and as you climb into the truck to gather Chung into your arms, it becomes apparent that Eve is nowhere to be found.

"Chung," you murmur softly, brushing his hair gently. It's damp and cold, probably from the storm of last night. The sleeping bag around him falls away, apparently only holding onto him previously by some tattered bungee cords. He leans against you wearily, like he's about to collapse. "Chung, oh El, are you alright?"

He cracks a smile, or at least he tries. "A little beat up and exhausted, but I'm alive." His smile fades, only to be replaced with pain. "They got Eve. I'm so sorry, Rena. I let them take her."

You open your arms and let him cry into your shoulder.

* * *

Later, as you sit on the couch and continue to cradle Chung's sobbing form, you hear the entire story from Aida, who seems to have a good grasp over the events. "There were so many officers chasing us," she says, plucking another tissue out of the box to dabble at her eyes. "Lady Eve was so very brave, and told us to go in the truck that we stole. I didn't realize at first, but she took off in another direction to distract the police."

"Chung went to go with her," Amos continues. "They took sleeping bags with them to use as parachutes, so they could escape down the cliff afterwards. From what I take of it, they ended up confronting Adam."

In your embrace, Chung stirs. "She shot him." He hiccups weakly. "Adam is dead. They're going to put Eve on trial for murder."

He buries his face in your arms again, and continues to sob. You pat his head soothingly. "Eve is going to be alright," you tell him softly. "Is Eve the kind to give up? No. So we need to be strong for her sake, alright?"

You look up at Aida. "What happened after that?"

She gulps. "I think they made it to the cliff, to drop off to our truck," she says. "But Lady Eve lost her parachute along the way due to the storm, and as a result she couldn't go forwards."

Chung curls up in a tight ball. "She shoved me off the plateau," he says miserably, "before I could make her go in my stead."

You think about it closely. If Eve had gone and let Chung stay, there's no telling what the authorities would have done to him. They would probably have murdered him in silence and kept the whole affair a secret, making up some excuse for Adam's death. Now that Eve's in Altera, they have to at least treat her with dignity. She'll appear on national television, on trial for murdering her brother. It'll give the rest of you more time to rescue her.

And knowing Eve, she won't stay put. Without her brother shackling her down, Eve will be free to do whatever she wants in that hellhole of a city. They'll probably send in dignitaries from Sander to babysit her, make sure she doesn't take off, but so what? Her brother tried that when he was alive, and he didn't catch her smuggling you out, or taking off with Chung the first time around.

"Eve is going to be alright," you repeat, smoothing down Chung's hair. "She's a fighter. She's doing this to save all of us, and we're going to go back to save her too."

He looks up at you with mournful eyes. "She'd found something in your file before we left," he says quietly. "About your past. I'm not too sure what it was, but she definitely wanted you to know." He tries to say more, but his chest buckles and he dissolves back into tears.

Eve found something about your past, and she wants you to know. If you're not too careful, this could destroy all of you - you yourself, Chung, Aida, Elesis, _Raven_. This isn't a good time to be breaking the team.

You glance up into Raven's gaze. He looks pale, but certainly understanding. He seems to pick up the fact that the boy crying in your lap right now is one of your best friends, who has gone through hell to save your life, and together you are mourning the possible loss of your other best friend. "C'mon, everyone, let's go," he says, ushering the others upstairs.

Two people stay: Elsword and Aisha. You'd nearly forgotten that they're very close to Eve as well. They both come to gather around you and Chung, and wrap their arms around you in embrace.

You exhale softly. This is supposed to be a time of hope, a time of everyone bonding together so you can save Eve, but all of you are just sobbing over a couch as Chung wails out tears that he shouldn't be losing now.

This is no time to mourn, but you are mourning the loss of a dear friend. Now, you can only hope for a time to come when you can save Eve.

* * *

Chung doesn't quite recover over the next few days. He mostly sits on the couch, hugging a pillow to his chest, and doesn't really talk. You force him to drink water, to stay hydrated after he lost so many tears, but he still barely eats anything and he hardly gets any restful sleep. Saying you're worried might be an understatement.

Elesis comes to talk to him softly at times, and so does Raven. Apparently Elesis has loved as lost just as much as Raven has, because she breaks down crying alongside Chung more often than not. Elsword sometimes comes to just sit in silence with him before returning to the kitchen to cook dinner with you. Aisha can barely walk, but even she goes to sit with him.

There's one day when it's your turn to sit with him, and you flicker through the TV channels rapidly in hopes of catching one of his favourite movies. Instead, you end up on the national news channel.

It shows a wooden courtroom. Sitting in the defendant's seat is Eve, in a pristine black pantsuit. Her face shows no emotion, but her hands are in magnetic cuffs.

"Chung," you mumble, pushing his arm. "It's Eve's trial."

The life returns back to his eyes for just a moment. "Eve?"

The gavel comes crashing down with a bang. Chung winces, but there's no way it could have prepared him for what comes next.

" _Evangeline Seraphina Nasod, I hereby sentence you to death."_

Your eyes go wide as your jaw drops. The TV remote falls out of your hands and clatters to the ground. _Eve has been given the death sentence._

Beside you, Chung is unmoving. "Chung," you whisper.

His shoulders go limp, and suddenly he's collapsed, his body falling over the couch. You quickly check his pulse - he's still breathing, thank god, but _oh god, Eve has been given the death sentence._

Pretty soon, Elesis comes barrelling out of her room, screaming out the same news. Raven comes to hold your hand, squeezes it to make sure you can register feeling, massages it out when it starts to cramp up due to your hyperventilating.

You don't feel anything happening around you. You mourned once, and now, you're fighting an uphill battle.

 _Eve has been sentenced to death._

You're running out of time.

* * *

 **A/N: and that ends Spectrum, thank you for reading**

 **no seriously thank you for reading, everyone's reviews and comments keep me alive... even the more absurd ones. mad props to all my readers and reviewers, i love you all**

 **on the other hand, happy new year! i guess i didn't get to finish Spectrum in 2017 after all ahahaha but that's okay, it's time for a new chapter in my life, and a new chapter in my series... i guess**

 **stay tuned for book 3: Aspect!**

 **~Marg**


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